Lupe's Notes

November 6, 2011

Well, this may be a little late, but here it is.

THOUGHT: “Relief Society sisters of all ages continue to uphold and defend truths that strengthen homes and families....Whenever a woman strengthens the faith of a child, she contributes to the strength of a family—now and in the future.” (Daughters in My Kingdom, p. 159)

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. As a relief society presidency, we are working together on making some changes to the visiting teaching assignments within our ward to include the new sisters. Thank you for your patience.

You will be getting your new assignments very soon and as you receive the assignments, it will take effect immediately. “In visiting teaching, we reach out to each other. Hands often speak as voices can't. A warm embrace conveys volumes. A laugh together unites us. A moment of sharing refreshes our souls We cannot always lift the burden of one who is troubled, but we can lift her so she can bear it well.” (Daughters in My Kingdom, p. 119)

2. Thank you to all the sisters who helped with the High Priest Social. We appreciate you.
3. Single Adult (31+) Family Home Evening on Monday November 14^th at 7:00 pm at the Blair Buswell Studio (318 South, 671 West in Pleasant Grove. “This will be a great evening to learn how Blair developed his talent, learn about some of the famous pieces he has created and see some of his work. Refreshments will be served.

BIRTHDAYS: November 10^th McKenna McCracken. Happy birthday to you.

The message for this Sabbath Day was presented by Lupe Lee.

I'm glad I only do this once a year. I do pray for the spirit to help me say the things that he feels I need to say.

One of the talks that I really enjoyed at General Conference was Elder Packard's talk and I think the reason that I enjoyed it was because, it confirmed to me that the subject matter of the message that I will give you today is what the Lord wants me to present. There is somebody, someone somewhere in this ward who needs to hear it, to give them comfort.

Ephesians 6:12 says “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principles, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Boyd K Packard: “We know from the Scriptures that there was a war in heaven and that Lucifer rebelled and with his followers, “was cast out into the earth.” He is determined to disrupt our Heavenly Father's plan and seeks to control the minds and actions of all. This influence is spiritual and he is abroad in the land.”

Russell M Nelson: “...The war in heaven was not a war of bloodshed. It was a war of conflicting ideas—the beginning of contention.”

M Russell Ballard: “...Satan will seek to tempt us at times and in ways that exploit our greatest weaknesses or destroy our strength.”...The battle for your souls is increasingly fierce. The adversary is strong and cunning.”

Elder Packard in this last conference told the youth that they were being raised in enemy territory. So if they are, then we too are in enemy territory.

Neal A Maxwell explained that parents can only give what they themselves already have.

Julie Beck: “The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance. More than at any time in the history of the world, we need mothers who know...when mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with them, they will have great power and influence for good on their children.”

The purposes of Relief Society are:

1. Increase faith and personal righteousness

2. Strengthen families and homes

3. Seek out and help those in need

So how do we strengthen ourselves so that in turn we can strengthen our families and homes? We have to know the enemy and how he attacks. We know why but the how is not always so obvious.

I want to share this song with you. I never heard it before, but my friend told me about it.

The Snake

On her way to work one morning

Down the path along side the lake

A tender hearted woman saw a poor half frozen snake

His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew

“Oh well,” she cried, “I'll take you in and I'll take care of you”

“Take me in, oh tender woman

Take me in, for heaven's sake

Take me in oh tender woman,” sighed the snake

She wrapped him up all cozy in a curvature of silk

And then laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk

Now she hurried home from work that night as soon as she arrived

She found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived

Now she clutched him to her bosom, “You're so beautiful,” she cried

“But if I hadn't brought you in by now you might have died”

Now she stroked his pretty skin and then she kissed and held him tight

But instead of saying thanks, that snake gave her a vicious bite

“I saved you,: cried that woman

“And you've bit me even, shy?

You know your bite is poisonous and now I'm going to die”

“Oh [hush] up, silly woman,” said the reptile with a grin

“You knew well I was a snake before you took me in

So that is how Satan works. I believe that in the gospel of Jesus Christ, in the church we have black and we have white, but within that black and white, there is that little gray things the he uses to create problems for us.

While reading the Book of Mormon I was reading how Captain Moroni, how he armed his men, how he put the armor on them and got them ready for war. But then what he did was send one of his men to the prophet Alma and asked him to pray to the Lord that we may know where it is that we should go to fight the battle. And I believe that is how he works with us today. The Armour that we need to put on is not an Armour of metal or whatever, because our war is a spiritual war.

So President Harold B. Lee in 1954 gave a talk entitled: “Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace.” And he said there are four parts of the body that are most vital to us and that's the ones that Satan attacks and that's where we are the most vulnerable. One is the loins typifying virtue, chastity. The heart typifying our conduct. Our feet, our goals or objectives in life and finally our head, our thoughts.”

He tells us how we can protect those parts of the body. The first is that we should have our loins girt about with truth. And what is truth and how do we know where truth is? We know that truth is things as they were, things as they are and things that will be.” Truth doesn't change. In science and whatever, you have ideas, and then they change, but in the Lord's timetable, the Lord's way, truth never changes. There in no new morality. Morality still is the way the Lord intended it to be in the beginning. But Satan has the way, even now he continues to use the philosophy of man mingled with scripture. I'll give you an example of how he works and we need to be aware of even the words that he uses. We have this thing about pro-life and pro-choice. As latter-day saints, when we think of the word choice, we think about agency. So we say OK, we fought a war in Heaven for people to have agency and so I think that's where a lot of people go wrong, especially with people in the world. They think that agency means you have the right to do whatever you want to do. But if you think about it very carefully, the person who is trying to do the abortion or whatever already has made her choice. Generally speaking, except in certain cases where the Church knows what those cases are, the choice is made when the person decides to be immoral. The consequence is the pregnancy. The abortion is 'trying to get rid of the consequence'. Think about it. The choice is already made. The choice comes with consequences and that's how Satan is. The truth will protect our loins; loins refers to our seed, descendents, family. The truth of that is in “The Family: a Proclamation to the World. That is gospel, that is truth. There is no challenge, there is no nothing that can go against that. And that is what can help us.

And then “We shall have over our heart a breastplate of righteousness which means our conduct. Conduct? I think of behavior, actions or whatever we do. What does that have to do with the heart? And then it says the Helmet of Salvation. And I'm going to talk about those two together. You can't have one without the other.

Elder L Tom Perry: “a disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ—learning to think, feel, and act as he does.” Nothing that we do, nothing that we say, nothing happens before it first becomes a thought. Thoughts, the Book of Mormon talks a lot about it. We're going to be judged by our thoughts, it say watch and pray continually, you know the thought get in your heart. 'As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” That's because the thoughts start here. (in your mind)

Elder Packard says that the mind is like a stage. “During every waking moment the curtain is up. There is always some act being performed on that stage. It may be a comedy, a tragedy interesting or dull, good or bad, but always there is some act playing on the stage of your mind.

El” And he says they even try to sneak in through the sides of the curtain. So from the minute that we wake up, we are dealing with thoughts. The stage is never empty. There is always something going on . Thoughts are always there, sad or whatever. An example: let's say that we feel somebody wronged us, so it's in our mind and we think about it; how that person treated us bad, how they hurt us, and the more we think about it, the bigger it gets, and eventually we begin to feel it in our heart, because we have let it become emotional in our heart and once it takes root in our heart, we own it. It is ours and we're going to act it out.

Now, we had a lesson on TO BE and TO DO; Elder Lynn G Robbins: “Because BE begats DO and is the motive behind DO, teaching BE will improve behavior more effectively than focusing on DO will improve behavior.” So instead of trying to get our children to behave a certain way, we teach them shy they have to behave a certain way. So then it'll take root here (in the heart) and then it'll happen.

Joseph Smith said, “We teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves”. He wasn't talking about just giving out information, he was talking about being converted and conversion is about our emotions.

The President Lee talks about our feet, what's going to protect our feet. Your feet should be shod, with the preparation of the gospel of peace” We need to know where we are going, and I know that we get so caught up with everyday life, that we hardly ever think about the celestial kingdom or exaltation. It's not even here in my mind sometimes. But if that's where we want to go, then we need to consider how we're going to get there.

Elder Packer: “The gospel plan is “the great plan of happiness”. The family is the center of that plan.” So it's all tied up with the loins and everything kind of works together. The plan of salvation. My son and his wife teach Seminary in Nashville at 5:30 am and he says that for the most part, all the kids are there at 5:30 everyday. If you ask your seminary child what lesson was taught first, they'll tell you it was the lesson on the plan of salvation. My son says the first 3 days was spend on the plan of salvation. Why? So they can know why they're there at 5:30 every day, and then they refer back to that plan of salvation lesson through out the semester to remind them of the why of the gospel.

President Uchtdorf: “My dear sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not an obligation; it is a pathway, marked by our loving Father in Heaven, leading to happiness and peace in this life and glory and inexpressible fulfillment in the life to come. The gospel is a light that penetrates mortality and illuminates the way before us.”

And again: “...we sometimes see the gospel as a long list of tasks that we must add to our already impossible long-to-do list, as a block of time that we must somehow fit into our busy schedules. We focus on what the Lord wants us to do and how we might do it, but we sometimes forget why.”

And I think that's a big key. We need to ask ourselves, why? Why do we go visiting teaching, why do we come to church, why do we do those things that the Lord wants us to do. We ask ourselves why and we come up with our answer, our feelings, our need as to why, then it's not going to feel as if it's somebody's idea. Sometimes the gospel, if we're not in it for ourselves, if somebody is expecting us to do it, it becomes a burden. We don't want the gospel to be a burden, we want it to be a blessing.

And then the Shield of faith. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So here we have this protection, this armor that protects us. So do we just stand there with all this armor and do nothing? No, the one offense, the weapon, the only way that we can attack the adversary is the sword, the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.

President Benson: “However diligent we may be in other areas, certain blessings are to be found only in the scriptures, only in the coming to the Word of the Lord, and holding fast to it as we make our way through the mist of darkness to the tree of life.” So we can do anything, but if we're not getting ourselves into the scriptures, we're missing blessings. Some blessings only come through the scriptures. Just like Amy Waldron said in her testimony. And answers come through the scriptures. Sometimes the Lord won't give us answers any other way except through the scriptures.

So why do we need the spirit? We need the spirit because we need personal revelation, because what works for somebody else, may not work for me. We need the spirit because we need to help our children.

You know, when you're in an airplane and they start telling all that stuff of what to do if there's a crash, or whatever and nobody listens to it. I listen to it. And they say if you're a mother of young children, you put your mask on first and then you take care of your children. Same thing, we arm ourselves first and then we can arm our children. We need the spirit because; I really believe all mothers...you will know in your heart, your gut feelings, when one of your children needs help. You may not know what the problem is, but will know that the child needs you. And you will need the spirit to help you know how to approach that child and how to talk to him. It doesn't matter how old they are. The spirit will tell you what to say to them. And I do that. One thing I have learned, sisters, is when I approach my children and if I say' the spirit has told me, they can't fight you. Because it's not you bugging them, it's the Lord thru the spirit. They may not like it, but that's your weapon. That's how the spirit will help you help your children.

So I want to share with you a personal experience. Some of the attacks in my life have not been so open;lie a word of wisdom problem, or this or that. That has not been my case. But in looking back in my life, I see how he has attacked me. So, a lot of times our behaviors are motivated by our needs. You can have a child who wants to have power or control or one who needs to be accepted or have praise; one who all he needs is to have peace, leave me alone. You can have a child that his whole goal in life is to have fun and not have any responsibility.

So my need as I look back, is I wanted to have peace in my life. I grew up in a Spanish speaking home, I attended a Spanish speaking branch and I loved the Church. The Church took care of my social life, my spiritual need, it took care of everything and I loved it, but it was Spanish speaking. I went to school, I learned English and we spoke Spanish all the time except in class when we had to speak to the teacher. I went to a Spanish speaking Mission. I came home, went to BYU for a semester, took 19 credit hours as a freshman. It was crazy, but I found that to even read my books, I had to have a dictionary because my vocabulary was so limited. I ran out of money, moved to California and I roomed with two Hispanic girls and their mother, who spoke only Spanish, we spoke only Spanish in the home. I attended Spanish speaking branches in California. I had fun, my life was full, I had friends, I had a social life. Life was wonderful.

One night my roommate Raquel and I went to a Single's Dance (M-Men and Gleaners) whatever, and so I went to the dance and I met Artie. Going home that night I said to Raquel, 'he's the one' and three months later we were married in the Los Angeles Temple.

When I married, I don't know if it was a conscious or unconscious decision, but I felt like, it wasn't like he was marrying into my culture. I was marrying into his. So I gave up my music, my language, my culture and pretty much my family because they were far away. So we started going to an English speaking ward. I remember going to Sacrament Meeting and hiding behind Artie. I didn't want to speak to anyone; didn't want to interact with anybody. And then we moved to Dallas and it was wonderful. It was a big ward and there were lots of young couples. I had no problem being accepted.

In the 60s when I got married, there was a lot of prejudice in the Church about Anglos marrying Mexicans, and there was also—I remember when we were dating and got married, I don't know if any of you remember, “Fascinating Womanhood” that came up. They even gave classes on Saturdays on how to be this fascinating woman, fantastic wife and all that garbage. (Sister Backman: “and I was one of the teachers”) And then around that time there was this idea of being perfect. So we moved to Dallas, had my children and I was accepted, had no problem.

(Sister Backman: “your husband spoke Spanish?) No, my husband knew nothing about my culture. He was raised in a small town in New Mexico, near the Navajo Reservation. And because my English was so limited, I felt I needed to improve in that area, so I embraced his culture. We came to BYU with three kids and I struggled. I struggled as to who I was. I went to counseling, we talked and my counselor said, 'you need to find out why, again the why, why you do the things you do in the Church; but in finding out why, don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.

We moved to Houston after graduation and I started this quest and I read books and books and books about self improvement, self help books and I read and I read and I read. One thing I have always had in my life, was a firm testimony of the gospel and I knew what was right and if I read something contrary to gospel, I discarded it. Oh my gosh, I have to tell you that in trying to find yourself, it's like peeling an onion. You remove a layer and you cry, you remove another and you cry. So I read all these books. I'd read a book and I would say OK, this is the answer and for a while I would feel good, but not for long. So that went on for a long time.

So, one year the Activity Committee Chairman came and asked me to help a sister with her part in the activity. This sister had moved into the ward, but she worked in the Stake, so we hardly saw her. So, I met her, she was from El Paso and she was Hispanic. She'd been married, was divorced, had no children and we hit it off, and to this day we're great friends.

I remember one day asking her—how was it when you married into that culture? Was it hard, did things change for you? And she said, I remember that first Christmas with his family and his children. The child would open his package and I would clap and go yea and I looked around and everyone else was quiet, so I said, “OK, and kept quiet also.”

After my children were gone from home, one Summer, for our Anniversary I said to Artie, “I want to go to San Antonio for our Anniversary. I had never been. So we went to see the Alamo downtown and as we left the Alamo, we could hear music. So we walked toward the Plaza, a park and on the stage were “Mariaches”, and as I stood there listening to that music, something happened to me inside, in my soul; it was like I had come home. It was like I had been in the desert and I was having a drink of water. It did something to me. I guess it must have been really obvious because Artie noticed it. He noticed it and so from that point on, things changed. He took an interest in my culture; he even begin to enjoy the music. Up until that point, when we would go visit my family, he would feel like an outsider, so it was hard for me to really visit, because he felt like I was neglecting him. But things changed and I felt better.

When we moved here, I started reading the Book of Mormon. I started with the big family Book of Mormon with the information on the bottom, but a year ago April; I can't believe it's only been a year. I was asked to help at the BYU Women's Conference. I have learned that there are no coincidences when it has to do with spiritual matters. We would work one day and the other day, you could go to classes free. I had asked to work on Thursday and have Friday free, but they gave me Friday to work and have Thursday free. So I went to the Assembly and Sister Beck spoke on the 'essential, the necessary and the nice-to-do” And she said, “buy a cheapo Book of Mormon, one you can write in. Write inside the page “Who am I? What are my responsibilities in the House of Israel? How do I fulfill my responsibilities?” I started doing that, I got this little book and I have to tell you, there's nothing like having a book you can touch and write in it. And then my wonderful visiting teach, one day, gave me this Book of Mormon Student Manual, the new and improved one- 2010 edition. So what I do, I read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and then I read what corresponds with that chapter. First thing in the morning, my husband and I read. I read the Book of Mormon, I finish it, I start it again, I finish it and I start it again. Since her talk, the book has more meaning. And this book has become my friend. This is my friend. It answers—It's true when the prophets say if you rad the Book of Mormon, it will improve your life, it will improve your home and it will improve your children's life. It is true. It does have power in here.

Another thing that I now read along with it, is this book (Daughters in My Kingdom); I'm on my second reading of it because what it has done for me. It has bonded me with the sisters in the Church, the Pioneer sisters, the sisters throughout the world. It is an incredible book. You will find great joy in reading this book. I have fund that there's where the power comes, that's how I can fight my enemy, it' through the spirit. The spirit comes through the Word of God, that's how the Spirit comes. I also have found, you know in the Doctrine and Covenants, where it says in Section 109 that when you go to the Temple, you will come out endowed with power from on high. And I think, how, how? One morning as I laid in bed, and it came to me, how it works for me. Think, sisters, of what happens when you are in the Temple, in the endowment. Think! Think of what you put on that satisfies all the parts. When you go and do initiatories. Think of what parts of the body are blessed. There is no way, but how you can come out endowed with power from on high. I want to testify to you about that.

Elder Packard: “This great circle of sisters will be a protection for each of you and for your families. The Relief Society might be likened to a refuge—the place of safety and protection—the sanctuary of ancient times. You will be safe within it. It encircles each sister like a protecting wall.”

I just want to tell you that finally I realize that when I was reading all those books, I was relying on the arm of flesh, my own and others. I now rely on the Lord and the Spirit and it has made a big difference.

So who am I? I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father who loves me ( and I know that now) and I love Him. I will stand as a witness of Him, at all times, in all things and in all places, because I have Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; because I now know my Divine Nature; because I now know that I have Individual Worth; because He has blessed me with Knowledge through the words of the prophets and the scriptures; because I have the blessing of having Choice and Accountability; because I can do Good Works; because I have Integrity and because of the Scriptures, I can fill my mind and my heart with Virtue. I have made sacred covenants which blesses the lives of my family and I know I will enjoy the blessings of Exaltation. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Next week's lesson will be Chapter 44: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ.



October 23, 2011
Wow, what an incredible Sacrament Meeting program, plus Brady and Maddy Heiner sang a beautiful musical number.

THOUGHT: “We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness....We are the Lord's hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.” Thomas S. Monson

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. High Priest Social, Saturday, November 5^th at 6 pm. Food, friends and fun. Put it on your calender. More information coming.
2. Also put on your calendar in big red letters, Ward Christmas Party. You're in for a great treat. December 10^th.
3. Monday, October 31 is ward cleaning time. If you can come help, please do at 4:30 pm, so that parents can get their kids ready for trick or treating. Remember, it's an extra Monday.
4. The Moss left behind a full size mattress with box spring and a trundle frame. If you are interested contact Gayla Muhlestein. It's free and will be at her home for this week only.

BIRTHDAYS: October 25^th : Amy Rigby, Mckenna Rojas, and Gail Breese; October 29^th Mary Tippetts. Happy Birthday to you all. Have a wonderful day.

Our lesson today was presented by Darla Cox entitled The Holy Temple—A Beacon to the World by President Monson from the April General Conference.

I apologize for my voice and hope you will be able to understand me. We will talk about Temples. We will hear about stories of sacrifice, of the service we can render.

“Now, my brothers and sisters, this conference marks three years since I was sustained as President of the Church. Of course they have been busy years, filled with many challenges but also with countless blessings. The opportunity I have had to dedicate and rededicate temples has been among the most enjoyable and sacred of these blessings, and it is concerning the temple that I wish to speak to you today.”

In reading about President Monson, I found out that Thursday family meals became very important to him, since that is the day that there is fasting and much prayer as he deals with Temple cancellations. He felt that he needed to feel the strength of his family. Temple matters brings great joy, but also much difficulty.

“During the October general conference in 1902, Church President Joseph F. Smith expressed in his opening address the hope that one day we would “have temples built in the various parts of the [world] where they are needed for the convenience of the people.”

My grandfather told my mother that temples would dot the earth. He was the ¹1^th child of 11 children and she was the 7^th of 8. Grew up always having heard that temple would dot the earth.

Quote from Elder Bruce R. McConkie:

“We expect to see the day when temples will dot the earth, each one a house of the Lord...Perhaps they will number in the hundreds, or even in the thousands, before the Lord returns.”

I have here a website for you to view. Search: Temples dot the earth. Click on: Mormons Belief: LDS (Mormon) Temples will dot the earth. It is a beautiful clip, with beautiful music. A way to enjoy the spirit of the Temples. In the April Conference, 3 temples were announced and the October Conference, 5 temples were announced. I need 18 volunteers, which is all of you. I will hand out either the name of a city and the name of a state or country and we will see which goes with which. These are the temples named in the last two conferences.

Fort Collins, Colorado

Meridian, Idaho

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Provo, Utah

Barranquilla, Colombia

Durban, South Africa

Kinshasa, Congo

Star Valley, Wyoming

Paris, France

“During the first 150 years following the organization of the Church, from 1830 to 1980, 21 temples were built, including the temples in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois. Contrast that with the 30 years since 1980, during which 115 temples were built and dedicated. With the announcement yesterday of 3 new temples, there are additionally 26 temples either under construction or in preconstruction stages. These numbers will continue to grow”

Now with the announcement of the five additional temples, that makes 31 temples.

My parent met in the temple, so for their honeymoon they visited every temple in the United States. My dad was on leave; he was a Marine, and was attending the Mesa, Arizona temple. My mom had received her mission call and was attending the same session and they happened to notice each other. They both thought that if they dressed quickly, maybe they could see each other in the lobby. My mother was asked if she was willing to do sealings and she knew if she did, she would probably miss the opportunity to see him, but being the obedient girl that she was, she said she would do sealings. At the same time, he too was asked to do sealings, so went they got to the sealing room, they were surprised to see each other there. So they were able to act as proxy before they were sealed together.

We all have to make sacrifices in order to enter the temple. It may be a sacrifice of setting aside the time in your busy lives to visit the temple regularly. If you do not have a current recommend, then it's time to work to obtaining one. Whatever it is, qualify to enter the temple of God. Secure a temple recommend and regard it as a precious possession, for such it is.

President Monson tells of a family in Brazil and their sacrifice to go to the Temple. “One of the temples currently under construction is in Manaus, Brazil. Many years ago I read of a group of over a hundred members who left Manaus, located in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, to travel to what was ten the closest temple, located in Sao Paulo, Brazil—nearly 2,500 miles from Manaus. Those faithful Saints journeyed by boat for four days on the Amazon River and its tributaries. After completing this journey by water, they boarded buses for another three days of travel—over bumpy roads, with very little to eat, and with nowhere comfortable to sleep. After seven days and nights, they arrived at the temple in Sao Paulo, where ordinances eternal in nature were performed. Of course their return journey was just as difficult. However, they had received the ordinances and blessings of the temple, and although their purses were empty, they themselves were empty, they themselves were filled with the spirit of the temple and with gratitude for the blessings they had received. Now, many years later, our members in Manaus are rejoicing as they watch their own temple take shape on the banks of the Rio Negro. Temples bring joy to our faithful members wherever they are built.”

We lived in Castle Dale, Utah when the Timpanogos Temple was under construction. Anyone here at that time? Jennifer, Julie. Someone said you knew where you were when 9/11 happened or when President Kennedy was killed. Well, we know where we were when the Angel Moroni was lifted on this temple. We attended the Open House as a famil. The Dedicatory Sessions were October 13-19, 1996.

There are some beautiful stories of our own temple. Adolphus Pulley was the custodian of one of the choicest pieces of property in the valley, but few recognized the potential of the land. He loved the bench land and whenever possible would arrange his day so that he was plowing early enough to see the sun come over the mountain and watch the rays settle on the valley.

He was the happiest when he was working the soil and was careful of the crops he planted on the bench land. He always referred to the bench land as good, clean, fertile land.

Ron, his son, recalls his Dad singing LDS hymns and always his favorite song, “In the Garden,” as they plowed or tended the water. Their favorite time, after plowing all day, was at sunset. They would stop and watch the ending of the day as the radiant colors meshed with each other, reflecting brilliantly on Utah Lake.

Adolphus always felt close to his creaor while tending this property and referred to it as his special garden.

He also predicted that someday there would be a temple built and though he would never say exactly where, everyone knew it would be on the bench land.

On March 23, 1953, an Earnest Money Agreement was signed by Adolphus Pulley and representatives from Timpanogos Stake securing and consecrating the ground for a Stake Welfare Farm. Adolphus knew that he could make much more money by parceling the land in residential building lots but this was not his mission. In his heart he was at peace with the decision that had been made.”

Then there is the story of the chandelier in the Bride's Room in the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple. “On Wednesday, April 24, 1996, my mom went to help hang crystals in the Celestial Room and the Sealing Rooms. When she came home that afternoon, she said what a great experience it was and then broke the news that my sister and I could go with her the next morning. (From the journal of Nicole Bennette-April 26, 1996) On Thursday at 9 a.m. We arrived at the Temple. Many of the volunteers were already there helping in the Celestial Room, and the room that was left happened to be the Bride's Room. The three of us, along wit one another sister, were assigned that room.

First we stared on the sconces. In each box were papers that had step-by-step instructions, explaining exactly what to do. We split into two teams and after studying the instructions, we began. We spent about four hours finishing all 10 of the sconces with very minor problems.

After returning from lunch, it was time to start the chandelier. At this time, the wife of the chief electrician came to help us. The first thing we did was to unpack the boxes and line them along the walls. As we unpacked, we realized that we had not yet found any instructions. By the time we had finished, they were still nowhere to be seen.

Finally, we decided to ask around and we found out that the cleaning crew had accidentally thrown the instructions out with the trash. We were left with boxes and boxes of more that 1,500 crystals and no way of knowing where to even start. (We couldn't wait for another set of instructions to come because there was a deadline set to have the crystals hung by 6 p.m. Friday night.) A lady who worked for the crystal company had an 8x10 picture of what the chandelier was supposed to look like, and this, along with a picture of the bottom, was our only guide. We decided that the best place to start was the bottom, so we began putting on one crystal at a time. The progress seemed to go slowly. Five o'clock came soon. We called it a day and went home.

That night, we all prayed very hard that somehow we would be able to figure out the puzzle that was waiting for us. Friday morning came and we headed for the Temple. We all entered the Bride's Room with a prayer in our hearts that all would go together well. We started by finishing the part that we knew how to do, the bottom. Then we figured out where the chains hung, so we did them next. Then came the hard part – everything else. We began pulling out crystals and placing them wherever we could see a likely place. What happened next was amazing. Everything started to fit perfectly. It seemed that in no time at all it was completed. It was beautiful! Standing back and looking at it, I, (and I am sure everyone in the room) had no doubt that the Lord was right there helping us. I know that the five of us could not have done that ourselves.

The Lord wants His House to be built. Nothing can stop it.

As for me, I have had an experience that I will NEVER forget. Someday, when I have the opportunity to be married, it will be in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. And someday when I have daughters of my own, I will tell them how their grandmother, my sister, and I were guided in putting that chandelier together. And then after I die, my great-great-grandchildren can look up at that chandelier and have this story to tell.”

Martha: It was wonderful to watch the faith of the Saints in Rome. Their temple to attend is the Switzerland Temple. Years ago a friend of ours got married and because Italy does not recognized our Church, by law they had to get married first by the civil law and then to the Switzerland for the sealing. We chose to travel by train, a 14 hour ride all night from South Italy to North Italy, then another train thru Switzerland, rent a car, stay in a hostel on the temple property, all of us in one room. It was a most beautiful journey of sacrifice and time. They go two times a year and in the summer all the kids go in buses to do baptisms. It was a small group of us who went with this couple and my Mission President was the sealer. The Church leaders take note of who attends the temple. In the Switzerland Temple 80% of those who attend are Italian. It is one of the reasons for the Rome Temple. Now they are so excited that they will only have to drive 4 hours.

Pat H: In the Celestial Room of our temple, there is a huge chandelier. The original one was designed by a man from Austria. He came to help put it up and when he saw the size of the room, he decided that it was too small for the room. So back to the drawing board he went, reconstructed a far bigger one, which the one we now have, and even though it was much more expensive, he didn't charge the church for it.

When my oldest daughter was 11 she said that is my temple. I said no, our temple district is the Manti Temple, that will be your temple. No, she said, my temple is the Timpanogos Temple. She got married in that temple.

President Monson: “To you parents of young children, may I share with yu some sage advice from President Spencer W. Kimball. Said he: “It would be a fine thing if...parents would have in every bedroom in their house a picture of the temple so [their children] from the time [they are] infant[s] could look at the picture every day [until] it becomes a part of [their lives]. When [they reach] the age that [they need] to make [the] very important decision [concerning going to the temple], it will have already been made.”

Gayla: I had heard that so I decided to ask each child which temple was their favorite and put that picture in their room. It brings it home to them.

My children love the San Diego Temple.

Donna L: It was very special to see them put up the Angel Moroni.

Donna's boys did the excavation for the Temple.

Sarah H: Is it true that all the workers have to have temple recommends? No

Luone: There is a story of a temple worker who wasn't a member of the Church, but later he joined.

Question: Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple?

Sharon H: My great-great grandfather didn't have the money to go to the temple and decided they should wait five years to get sealed. His wife said, no do it now. She died three years later. The sacrifice to not wait, no amount of money was worth the wait. It's not even a question.

President Monson: “May I share with you the account of Tihi and Tararaina Mou Tham and their 10 children. The entire family except for one daughter joined the Church in the early 1960s, when missionaries came to their island, located about 100 miles south of Tahiti. Soon they began to desire the blessings of an eternal family sealing in the temple.

At that time the nearest temple to the Mou Tham family was the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, more than 2, 500 miles to the southwest, accessible only by expensive airplane travel. The large Mou Tham family, which eked out a meager living on a small plantation, had no money for airplane fare, nor was there any opportunity for employment on their Pacific island. So Brother Mou Tham and his son Gerard made the difficult decision to travel 3,000 miles to work in New Caledonia, where another son was already employed.

The three Mou Tham men labored for four years. Brother Mou Tham alone returned home only once during that time, for the marriage of a daughter.

After four years, Brother Mou Tham and his sons had saved enough money to take the family to the New Zealand Temple. All who were members went except for one daughter, who was expecting a baby. They were sealed for time and eternity, an indescribable and joyful experience.

Brother Mou Tham returned from the temple directly to New Caledonia, where he worked for two more years to pay for the passage of the one daughter who had not been at the temple with them—a married daughter and her child and husband.

In their later years Brother and Sister Mou Tham desired to serve in the temple. By that time the Papeete Tahiti Temple had been constructed and dedicated, and they served four missions there.”

He closes by saying: “My beloved brothers and sisters, may we make whatever sacrifices are necessary to attend the temple and to have the spirit of the temple in our hearts and in our homes.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a wonderful week and we'll see you next Sunday. It's a fifth Sunday and we'll have a combined Priesthood/RS meeting.

October 16, 2011

Good evening sisters, hope you have enjoyed this wonderful day.

THOUGHT: This great circle of sisters will be a protection for each of you and for your families. The Relief Society might be likened to a refuge—the place of safety and protection—the sanctuary of ancient times. You will be safe within it. It encircles each sister like a protecting wall.”

Boyd K. Packer

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Put on your calendars this very important date: December 10^th. It will be our Ward Christmas Party.
2. There will be a High Priest Social on November 5^th at 6 pm. All High Priest and their wives are invited. Also invited are the Single Sisters.
3. A big Thanks to all who participated in our 'Circle in Sweet Friendship' on Thursday. We had such a fun evening.
4. Here is the link that Megan wants us to listen to:

http://lds.org/media-library/video/other-videos?lang=eng&order=most-recent#2011-09-01-the-gift-daughters-in-my-kingdom

BIRTHDAYS: Happy Birthday to Kailee Ruth Fisher on October 19^th.

Our lesson today was SIGNS OF THE SECOND COMING presented by Amy Waldron.

Well, I even brought a centerpiece, my first one ever. Janet made it for me last year for my 40^th birthday. I am now 41. If you remember the lesson on “The Postmortal Spirit World', today's lesson relates to that lesson. We quickly will go through that lesson. The pre-existence, mortal life, death, spirit world, resurrection, millennium, final judgment and degrees of glory.

Today we will be talking about the Signs of the Second Coming, before the Savior comes again. The first question is Why do we care about the signs of the second coming? I have been a little ambivalent about the issue. Have even felt that some people have gone a little overboard about it. It gets a little wacky. Just beyond. They seem to focus too much on the signs. I had a friend who, whenever he prayed, whether it was over the food, or whatever, always would say, please have the second coming come soon. I think it is important, but feel uncomfortable about some of the signs. So the question, why do we care?

Janet T: I don't want to be surprised.

Jami E: We women are planners. I always want to know the gender of my chioldren. I actually as a teenager worried about the second coming. I had a Sunday School teacher who was told in his patriarchal blessing that he would not be alive when the second coming happen. So in my teenage brain, I was relief as long as he was alive, because there would be no second coming.

Well, as soon as Christ died, the Apostle Paul would say to the Saints to review things that would happen. That the Savior would not be coming anytime soon. And when the gospel was restored, the same problem happened. They expected the second coming to come very soon. We'll see if we can put things in perspective.

Lynette: The scientists try to explain why things are happening. Knowing the signs we can try to be better and be better prepared.

At the end of the lesson we'll see if we have learned anything new. We could spend hours on each item. But, it's a review.

Amy passed out a handout Signs of the Second Coming. It has three columns, the first having scripture references, the second you write in the topic and the third, we decide if it is done, in progress or not begun. It will be an attachment.

Lynette read: 2 Timothy 3:1-7

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

When I was in Seminary, this scripture scared me.

Lynette: Yes, it talks about 'creeping into our homes'.

So, is this done? It's in progress.

Jami: D&C 45:26

“And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men's hearts shall fail the, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth.”

In progress since we are still hearing about wars and rumors of wars.

Sally J: Matthew 24:21-24

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

The if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there: believe it not.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

That is in progress.

Luone: 2 Thessalonians 2:3

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come expect there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”

If it is referring to the Great Apostasy, than it is done. However, in a sense there is still a falling away as far as people not have the truth yet, so then that is in progress.

Shanel W: D&C 45:28

“And when the times of the Gentiles is dome in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;”

At last, something pleasant. The restoration of the gospel with all the keys. That is Done.

Isaiah 29:11-12

“And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:

And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.”

The sealed book. It is done. The Book of Mormon

Francesca: D&C 90:11

“For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

It is in progress and it refers to missionary work.

Karen M: Malachi 4:5-6

“Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

Genealogy and family history work. Elijah has come and restored the keys to seal families together forever. That part is done, but for those who haven't been found, it's still in progress. This work will continue through the millennium.

Robby: Isaiah 2:2-3

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations hall flow unto it.

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountains of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Temples in the last day. It is done and at the same time in progress because temples are still being built and the Jerusalem Temple has yet to be built.

D&C 49: 24-25

“But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose.

Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed.”

In progress.

Luone: Moses 7:62

“And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.”

The new Jerusalem has not begun.

Janet S: Zion is the pure in heart and sometimes we can lost incentive to wait until Zion is established. We do have an obligation to become the pure in heart though.

Janet T: Life goes on after the second coming.

This is the reason why we need to read the scriptures; because otherwise we are trying to translate them. Then as we read them, the spirit can teach us and bear witness to us. As long as we are anchored on the scriptures and the words of the prophets, we are safe, as to the understanding of principles. If we feel uncomfortable about something, we can go in prayer to know how we should feel about it.

I will ask Martha to stand up and read the last two scriptures.

Martha: Matthew 24: 42-47

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered is house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh...Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.”

D&C 45:35, 39 & 44

“Be not troubled, for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled...And it shall come to pass that she that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man...And then they shall look for me, and behold, I will come; and they shall see me in the clouds of heaven, clothed with power and great glory, with all the holy angels; and she that watches not for me shall be cut off.”

How God, if you hear the voice of God in the scripture, wants us to feel about these scriptures.

Happy and excited to see Him.

Francesca: He says we shall look for me, be excited, like children looking and watching at the window for grandma and grandpa.

Also it struck me to be not troubled. I am glad that the promises made unto you will be fulfilled. It is proof that everything will come to pass. Life on earth stinks sometimes. It can be long and sometimes evil surround us. In the end it will be OK. We see all the signs, but do we see those as God sees them.

Karen M: It could be real soon, but not even the angels in heaven know when he will come.

Lynette: Sometimes things can happen overnight. Look at the economic situation, it happened so quickly. We need to be extra diligent and remain faithful.

I'll close with this reviewing. We need to share this information. In my discomfort with the signs of the second coming, as I read “she that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even the signs of the coming of the Son of Man. When I read that, the thought is that we need to raise the level of preparedness, recognizing that with faith, everything he promise will happen.

Next week's lesson will be from April Conference. President Monson's talk “The Holy Temple – a Beacon tot he World”

Have a wonderful week.

September 25, 2011

Good evening sisters. Hope you had a good Sabbath.

THOUGHT: “The Relief Society was established by the spirit of inspiration, and has been guided by that spirit [ever since], and has instilled into the hearts of countless of our good sisters those desires for righteousness which have been pleasing to the Lord.”

Joseph Fielding Smith

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.  Join us on Monday, October 10th at 7:00 PM for our 2nd Monday Single Adult FHE as we present:  FEAR FACTOR, IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 
   
   If Fear is not a Factor for you, then be sure not to miss out on this event. We'll have some fun and exciting challenges, but don't worry: rats and snakes aren't on the menu!' Be sure that you bring your kids. We will have some exciting challenges just for them. Join us at the Stake Center adjacent to the Timpanogos Temple, 835 N 900 E, American Fork, for a very interesting and entertaining evening, good company and a nice dinner. Be sure to come hungry. We will be providing a Baked Potato Bar for the main course. Please bring an appetizer, salad, side dish or dessert to share with everyone. Dessert will be serenaded by an amazing composer and performer, Mandy Sittler. Fear Factor challenges will follow the entertainment with great prizes for the brave at heart. Please join us for a wonderful dinner, entertainment and some interesting challenges as the Pleasant Grove Manila Stake presents “Fear Factor, It's a Family Affair”
2. RELIEF SOCIETY: Thursday, October 13^th, 7:00 pm

Sisters, please join us for a fun social get together “Circled in Sweet Friendship” at Melissa Brady's house 1062 East 1180 North. Please bring a sweet treat to share with your sweet sisters. We will visit and enjoy the yummy desserts and play a little game to get to know each other better. Hope you can come!

3. STAKE WOMEN”S VOLLEYBALL: It's time for women's volleyball! We will meet on Thursday nights from September 15 – October 27, omitting October 20 due to Fall Break. The time will be 8 – 10 pm at the Stake Center. It will be “open gym” play. No assigned teams, as of yet. We're excited to offer this and hope to have a fun and athletic season! If you have questions, please email Sytske Smellie at sytske@yahoo.com.
4. SEPT PREPAREDNESS NOTICE: The Relief Society Blog will review the handouts from last year with specific focus for the month. Please share your successes, challenges and ideas. For additional information, questions or concerns contact Karen Moon 801-756-4485.
5. Don't forget this week is VISITING TEACHING INTERVIEWS. You will be contacted and reminded when you signed up.

BIRTHDAYS: September 29^th: Mary Tippetts; October 3^rd: Sondra Holmstead and Karen Moon and October 8^th Sally Jensen. Happy Birthday Sisters.

The Lesson today was presented by Darla Cox and it comes from The April General Conference: “What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?” by Elder Lynn G. Robbins.

The answer is in the scriptures. The Savior said in 3 Nephi 27:27 “What manner of men [and women] ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am”. The first-person present tense of the verb be is I Am. He invites us to take upon us His name and His nature.

“To become as He is, we must also do the things He did. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do”.

“To be and to do are inseparable. As interdependent doctrines they reinforce and promote each other. Faith inspires one to pray, for example, and prayer in turn strengthens one's faith.”

It's like a riddle. He talks about to be and to do.

“The Savior often denounced those who did without being – calling them hypocrites: “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”. To do without to bet is hypocrisy, or feigning to be what one is not—a pretender.

“Conversely, to be without to do is void, as in “faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone.” Be without do really isn't being—it is self-deception, believing oneself to be good merely because one's intentions are good.

Like he said” Do without be—hypocrisy--portrays a false image to others, while be without do portrays a false image to oneself.”

While He recognized the importance of do, the Savior identified be as a “weightier matter.” He gives three examples of the greater importance of being. I give you two:

1. Entering the waters of baptism is something we do. The be that must precede it is faith in Jesus Christ.
2. Partaking of the sacrament is something we do. Being worthy to partake of the sacrament is a weightier and much more important matter.

Many of us created to do lists to remind us of things we want to accomplish. But people rarely have to be lists. Why? Because we can't check them off. “To do's are activities or events that can be checked off the list when done. To be, however, is never done.

“Or as a parent, when can I check a child off my list as done? We are never done being good parents. And to be good parents, one of the most important things we can teach our children is how to be more like the Savior.

“Christlike to be's cannot be seen, but they are the motivating force behind what we do, which can be seen. When parents help a child learn to walk, for example, we see parents doing things like steadying and praising their child. These do's reveal the unseen love in their hearts and the unseen faith and hope in their child's potential. Day after day their efforts continue—evidence of the unseen be's of patience and diligence.”

“Because be begets do and is the motive behind do, teaching be will improve behavior more effectively than focusing on do will improve behavior.”

He asks how can you handle quarreling children?

“When children misbehave, let's say when they quarrel with each other, we often misdirect our discipline on what they did, or the quarreling we observed. But the do—their behavior—is only a symptom of the unseen motive in their hears. We might ask ourselves, “What attributes, if understood by the child, would correct this behavior in the future? Being patient and forgiving when annoyed? Loving and being a peacemaker? Taking personal responsibility for one's actions and not blaming?”

I asked Karen M to share with us her experience with two of her daughters.

Karen M: They were 10 and 12 years of and the older one was constantly being mean to her young sister. They had different personalities. The younger one was more outgoing and the older one was very talented. Even though she was very talented, she didn't have the ability to be more open and friendly. So I decided to pray about the situation, to know how to handle the situation. One day I talked with the older daughter and asked her why she was so mean to her sister. “I don't know, I can't stand her.” Maybe it's because you're jealous of her, I said. I told her she was far more talented. She just stood there, but from that day on, their relationship changed. They have been best friends to this day.

So Sister Moon prayed about it and the spirit told her the answer, the solution. I have learned that the older I get the less I know. In Karen's case, the daughter, in knowing the why, changed her to do because of the to be.

Amy W: Those of you who still have children not yet 10 or 11, hang in there. This is around the age when you begin to see your children be or become something different. Until then it's a long stretch to go. You think it'll never come, but in my experience, it will.

Elder Robbins continues: “How do parents teach these attributes to their children? We will never have a greater opportunity to teach and show Christlike attributes to our children than in the way we discipline them. Discipline comes from the same root word as disciple and implies patience and teaching on our part. It should not be done in anger. We can and should discipline the way that Doctrine and Covenants 121 teaches us: “by persuasion, by long-sufferings, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge”. These are all Christlike be's that should be a part of who we, as parents and disciples of Christ, are.

Robby: In Australia, I knew this lady who had 9 children. She was an amazing mother and gentle woman. At her funeral her eldest daughter told that she never heard her mom raise her voice to anyone in the family. It was because she believed that the Savior wouldn't raise his voice. That's how she raised her children. When I found that out, I felt chastened as a mother. I learned what really makes a good mother. One who did as the Savior would do.

Thank you Robby. I remember the story of that mother who had a young family. She was in am iron lung. That's where she lived because otherwise she would die. That was her life source. When the children came home from school, they would go see her and greet her. They had an amazing respect and love for her. She would tell them what to do and she never raised her voice.

Amy W: As we all know, some women have a special spiritual gift. We ought to be encouraged not discouraged. In case I forget because I raise my voice.

Lynette: A child knows when something is wrong. They just know it. That's when we put our arm around them and praise them. We have them think back and ask them what could they have done differently. Babies can understand emotions, but not the reasons for the emotion. The why. It is important to acknowledge a child's feeling. You show them that you care and understand and they'll come to you.

Billie: You know the yelling at them thing. One day I went to my Stake President for a Temple Recommend and when he ask me if I felt worthy to enter the Temple, I told him that I yell at my children and he told me to just STOP yelling at them.

Lynette: I am in awe at how Sondra deals with her children. In a very gentle way but firmly. That's how she talks to her children.

I just know how she treats and teaches my child. I am forever grateful.

Amy S: I knew a sister who when I visited her home, I felt the spirit there. But her children had a lot of problems, and they had made bad choices. I felt profound inspiration; unconditional love. That mother was a saint. I learned that we should never judge a mother by how her children turn out. We are all given different experiences.

Elder Robbins continues by saying “Alma discovered this same principle, that “the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword”. Why? Because the sword focused only on punishing behavior—or do—while preaching the word changed people's very nature—who they were or could become.

“A sweet and obedient child will enroll a father or mother only in Parenting 101. If you are blessed with a child who test your patience to the nth degree, you will be enrolled in Parenting 505. Rather than wonder what you might have done wrong in the premortal life to be so deserving, you might consider the more challenging child a blessing and opportunity to become more godlike yourself. With which child will your patience, long-suffering, and other Christlike virtues most likely be tested, developed, and refined? Could it be possible that you need this child as much as this child needs you?”

Karen M: When you get to be my age, you realize how important your relationship is with your children. It's sad to think that an adult child would rather move far away than be close to you.

There is always hope, you never finish parenting. Elder Robbins: “...when our children misbehave, we must be careful not to say things that would cause them to believe that what they did wrong is how they are. “Never let failure progress from an action to an identity,” with its attendant labels like “stupid,” “slow,” lazy” or “clumsy.” Our children are God's children. That is their true identity and potential. His very plan is to help His children overcome mistakes and misdeeds and to progress to become as He is. Disappointing behavior, therefore, should be considered as something temporary, not permanent—an act, not an identity.

“Identity confusion can also occur when we ask children wheat they want to be when they grow up, as if what a person does for a living is how he or she is. Neither professions nor possessions should define identity or self-worth. The Savior, for example, was a humble carpenter, but that hardly defined His life.”

“In a game of sports, a wise way to compliment our children's performance—do--would be through the point of view of be—like their energy, perseverance, poise in the face of adversity, etc.--thus complimenting both be and do.

“When we ask children to do chores, we can also look for ways to compliment them on being, such as, “It makes me so happy when you do your chores with a willing heart.”

“During family scripture time, look for and discuss examples of attributes discovered in your reading that day. Because Christlike attributes are gifts from God and cannot be developed without His help, in personal prayers, pray for those gifts.”

“The most important way to teach to be is to be the kind of parents to our children that our Father in Heaven is to us. He is the one perfect parent, and He has shared with us His parenting manual—the scriptures.”

Pat H: When I first heard this talk, I wondered about Heavenly Father and how He cast1/3 of his spirit children out the door. He was and is the perfect parent, yet he lost and cast away 1/3 of his children.

Elder Robbins ends by saying””May your efforts to develop Christlike attributes be successful so that His image may be engraven in your countenance and His attributes manifest in your behavior. Then, when your children or others feel of your love and see your behavior, it will remind them of the Savior and draw them to Him is my prayer and testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

Have a great week, sisters and don't forget next weekend is General Conference when we will have the opportunity to hear the counsel of the Lord through His prophets and general authorities. We are so blessed.

 

 

September 11, 2011

Good evening Sisters. Hope you have had a good Sabbath as you have pondered and reflected this day not only on the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ, but also on the events of ten years ago. We are so blessed for the grace of our Savior.

THOUGHT: “The cultivation of Christlike qualities is a demanding and relentless task—it is not for the seasonal worker or for those who will not stretch themselves, again and again.”

Spencer W. Kimball

Ensign, Nov. 1978, 105

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Sept. 16^th, WARD TEMPLE NIGHT. 6:30 pm Session so meet in the chapel before than.
2. Sept. 15 – Oct 27, 8-10 pm @ Stake Center. STAKE WOMEN”S VOLLEYBALL. Thursday evenings. (no play on Oct. 20 due to fall break.) Open play and no assigned teams yet.
3. Sept 24^th, 4:30 pm @ Stake Center: SOUP SUPPER 7 RS GENERAL BROADCAST. There will be a soup supper before the broadcast at 4:30. The broadcast will start at 6. Our ward needs three sister to contribute 3 crock pots of soup by 4 pm that day.
4. If you haven't signed up for your visiting teacher interview, please contact Amy Nelson.
5. Bryce Poulson is in Primary Children Hospital. Pleas keep him in your prayers.

THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR WARD SERVICE DAY. IT WAS A FUN EXPERIENCE.

BIRTHDAYS: September 11, Tiffany Weight. September 13, Kay Johnson. Happy Birthday to you both.

Our lesson today was presented by Sister Carol Bennett: “Temple Work and Family History”

I am not an expert. When Chuck and I signed up to serve a mission we decided that we would go wherever the Lord wanted us to go. At that time, the thought came into my mind that I needed to learn about computers, but I dismissed the thought. When we got to the mission field in San Jose, I found out that I really needed to learn all those things. I am a back row person, I like to go into the wood work. The mission president told us that we would be doing a lot of traveling, teaching all 9 states, all the wards, and all the missionaries this new program. There were times when we talked four times a Sunday, plus week days. I thought I would have a heart attack. The one thing that helped me was that I knew that Heavenly Father would help me. There were times when I would say, I can't do it anymore. Please help me and he did.

I am so very thankful for the opportunity to talk about Temples and Family History.

I am thankful for my family. Families can be so challenging. You know, we usually marry opposites and not necessarily our soul mate. I do have one son who has married his soul mate, but for the most part we marry opposites. We have to learn to adjust. The lesson will encourage us to attend the temple often and apply the covenants and principles we learn there. You need to make your adjustment with your spouses.

President Gordon B Hinckley: “Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed. The fact is that most putts don't drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just ordinary people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are most often dull than otherwise...

“Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinder, and jotts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

I have really learned a lot from that. In Sacrament Meeting we heard about making covenants, about having to live the principles of the gospel. There are no people in the Celestial Kingdom that are not kind. I pray to Heavenly Father to be able to share my testimony. As a little girl I was raised in a horrible environment, but at age 9 years old, I connected with God—He was my best friend. I answer only to God. I am thankful for my challenges. It is hard for me to go back and visit where I was raised. It brings back bad memories. I am thankful though, because our challenges will help us draw closer to God. Our experiences in life can do that.

Temple work is centered in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. As a temple worker, I hear people say that it's the first time they have been back since the first time. They usually didn't have a good temple experience because they didn't see past the symbolism. The temple is symbolic. It teaches us of Jesus Christ; how to apply the atonement. It encompasses many things. How to treat your husband, your children. It teaches us ow Satan treats people. That criticism, etc., is not from God. The greatest lie is that when you make a mistake, you are in his power. Lots of people are falling for that lie.

God is only a prayer away. One of our children rebelled, has been into drugs, all kinds of stuff. She has made me realize that God is always there. We do not qualify for his love. He is just there. She doesn't like to talk about spiritual things but she did call to share something with me. She said that she and some friends were at the beach when she found herself swimming in to a riptide. None of her friends realized what was happening to her. As she was going down, she knew she would die. She said, “God help me.” Next thing she knew she was on the beach.

I have had experiences when I have said, “God help me” and He has never not helped me.

Amy W: I read an article by Hugh W Nibley where he says: “work we must, but the lunch is free.”

We need to hope and pray and teach our children that God is always there.

Turn to Malachi 4:5-6. This is the very last scripture in the Old Testament.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

Now let's turn to D&C 2. When the gospel was restored this was the very first scripture given to us. Section 1 is the preface to the D&C

“Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.

If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.”

I do not mean to bring attention to myself, but I want to shall with you how I learned gradually about the Atonement. After Chuck and I were married we had 8 children plus 2 (they were twins) other boys, friends of my sons. They needed the guys on the football team. We lived in Spanish Fork and I was traveling at 65 miles per hour, and being blinded by the sun didn't see a car that had stopped to turn left and I hit it with the full impact. They told me that I died three times on the way to the hospital. I suffered severe brain damage and when I came to, my head had swell two times the normal size. They thought I had lost the sight in my left eye. The pain was horrible and I was in the hospital three weeks. When they released me I had no short term memory. I had 8 children and two extra boys at home, and my youngest was about three years old. I could barely take care of my own needs. There was no way I could take care of the family.

I am a Polynesian at heart. I love to hug and enjoy people. On the other hand, Chuck is like 'don't touch me, talk to me. We are complete opposites. Well, I expected tender loving care, where he pretty much said you work it out. I thought, what am I to do? As thoughts enter my mind, I prayed and felt an overwhelming love. It was so nice. He was telling me ' I'm there for you.' It was a year before my short term memory returned. We managed to survive. One of the twins could cook three things and the children would follow him around and ask 'what will we eat'. I never expected to be where I could be normal again.

I need to share my understanding of the Atonement. Heavenly Father said, 'I will help you. I read where running would help your memory, so I started running and as I ran I memorized things. 'Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.'

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father ion all things from the beginning.”

President Spencer W Kimball has told us the mission of the Church has three parts. What are they?

Janet T: Proclaim the gospel, perfect the Saints and Redeem the dead.

When he taught that concept, he would draw a circle around all three statements and on the top he would ride the word 'Temple'

Get your children to go to the House of the Lord. We cannot perfect the Saints without the Temple.

On our mission, a brother created a program entitled “Gift of Family History. The area where we served was very wealthy, it is called silicon valley, they are extremely wealthy. People do not listen to the missionaries. So the question was, how can we reach the rich. It was not a problem teaching the poor, the humble people, but the rich. The missionaries learned about Family History and how to do research. When they would knock on the door, people didn't want to hear about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, so the missionaries would ask them if they were interested on researching out their family history. We had 9 family History Centers, and they were maned by non-members and most of the patrons were non-members. The program was inspired. When Elijah restored the keys, people were drawn to finding their family history. And the missionaries found wonderful things happening in their lives.

Like I mentioned before, I feel that I am a Polynesian. I served my mission in New Zealand. They don't worry about time. Very lay back. I feel I was born in the wrong race.

I ask Heavenly Father to help me know what to say. I need to share what Heavenly Father wants me to say. Every single dispensation, the gospel has been restored, then because of the weaknesses of men, is taken away. We are in the dispensation where you will choose to live a righteous life where we will prepare for the Savior's return. He has given us the tools. Evil and immorality cannot be a part of our lives anymore. The spirit leaves.

Our children know that our home is a G rated home. I don't apologize for that. One day some of my grandchildren were playing poker for candy bars. I was definitely prompted to say to them, 'sorry, but I don't allow gambling in my house.' But grandma, it's only candy bars. I didn't give in.

It is the last dispensation before Christ comes. Temple dot the earth. Satan loses power because people are righteous.

President Thomas Monson quotes President Spencer W Kimball: “It would be a fine thing if ...parents would have in every bedroom in their house a picture of the temple so [their children] from the time [they are] infant[s] could look at the picture every day [until] it becomes a part of [their lives]. When [they reach] the age that [they need] to make [the] very important decision [concerning going to the temple], it will have already been made.”

My challenge to you is to put a picture of the temple in their bedroom. I encourage yo to read the Book of Mormon everyday with your children. There is power in the temple, and in the Book of Mormon.

I went to visit that daughter of whom I spoke of earlier and when I entered her apartment I felt a horrible feeling come over me in her home. She is my daughter, but how can I stay there all night when I had this ugly feeling. I opened my Book of Mormon and started reading. In that horrible place, I felt encompassed by light and that light stayed there with me.

My daughter Angie asked me 'what can we do to fix up her apartment. I didn't want to do that, but Angie was inspired. We bought a picture, painted her table and chairs, bought some flowers. It taught me a lesson. Heavenly Father will inspire and guide us. I know it's real. Heavenly Father will use us and guide us to bring light to a dark world.

Sacred Ordinances and covenants available in Holy Temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

Next week's lesson will be #41 'The Postmortal Spirit World”

September 18, 2011

Dear sisters, what a wonderful Primary Presentation. Such a sweet spirit.

THOUGHT: “This is what we desire to instill into the heats of the sisters—to be useful in their sphere and not be discouraged because of difficulties in the way, but trust in God and look to Him, and His marvelous blessings, I will promise you, will be poured out upon you.”

Lorenzo Snow

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. September 24^th, 4:30 pm @ Stake Center: SOUP SUPPER 7 RS GENERAL BROADCAST. There will be a soup supper before the broadcast at 4:30. The broadcast will start at 6 pm. Our ward has been asked to contribute 3 crock pots of soup by 4 pm that day. Will you please e-mail me and let me know if you would like to do that. Lupe Lee lupellee@yahoo.com.
2. The Stake needs 6 sisters to help with clean up on Saturday night. Will you email me on that also. Thanks, sisters. I will try and get more info on that this week.
3. Visiting Teaching interviews on Tuesday, September 27^th, from 10 am-noon and from 6-8 pm or Thursday September 29^th from 10 am-noon or from 6-8 pm. If you are unable to attend during one of those times, please contact a member of the presidency.
4. Please email your success stories from your hard work this past year about the preparedness program. When we share what we have been able to accomplish it helps motivate some of us who need a little extra encouragement. Let's share on the RS Blog. Also don't forget recipes. September is the month to evaluate your food storage.
5. An up date on Bryce Poulson. He is being treated for Bacterial Meningitis and is in Primary Children's Hospital. Please keep them in your prayers and thank you so much for helping out. The Poulsons are so positive and have great faith.
6. We received a letter from the Brethren. This is Hunger Action Month and they have asked us to contribute non-perishable food and have it on your porch on Saturday at 11:00 am.
7. We have been distributing the book “Daughters in My Kingdom” the history and work of Relief Society. You should all have your book this week. Please look it over and read it. It will be your own personal study book. President Boyd K. Packer said, “This great circle of sisters will be a protection for each of you and for your families. The Relief Society might be likened to a refuge—the place of safety and protection—the sanctuary of ancient times. You will be safe within it. It encircles each sister like a protecting wall.”

BIRTHDAYS: Sept. 22^nd Rachelle Fisher; Sept. 23^rd Lynette Valencia and Sept. 24^th Michelle Tolboe. Happy Birthday sisters.

Today's lesson was lesson 41: The Postmortal Spirit World, presented by Amy Waldron

I am surrounded by paper because it make me feel calm. This has been a difficult lesson to prepare so soon after my father passed away. I am standing here to try and give this lesson as an expression of this beautiful doctrine that is so meaningful in my life. The challenge that I have faced in that he was never interested in the church. I began to study this doctrine at a young age because I knew it was a perfect doctrine. I am grateful to Heavenly Father to know the doctrines.

In the back of the room are orange sheets of paper and even though it is not part of the lesson and therefore we will not be discussing it, it is something you may need now, or someday. It's The 7 stages of grieving. I keep several throughout my house. I wan to emphasize that grieving is different than the topic we will be discussing today. Sometimes we approach someone who is very new in the grieving process and give the impression that because we have the gospel there is no reason to feel sad. Even President Hinckley struggle with his losing his sweet wife. And President Harold B Lee had difficult with depression after his wife died. Elder Scott still misses his wife. Amy shared with us a picture by Carl Bloch 'The Doubting Thomas'. It is my favorite of Bloch's paintings. As I look at it, I feel as if I knew what the artist was thinking. We are all Thomas. I'm Thomas, as I have had moments of doubt. When our faith is not perfect, when our thoughts tend to doubt as did Thomas when it came to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Truth is still truth though and we will be resurrected.

Here is a quiz. She handed out “A MAP OF YOUR LIFE” ( I will add it as an attachment). Where have you been? Where are you now? Where are you going? The back will have the Key Landmarks on Your Map. Keep in your manual because the next several months we will be discussing it. There will be a separate lesson on each of issues.

WHERE IS THE POSTMORTAL SPIRIT WORLD?

Latter-day prophets have said that the spirits of those who have died are not far from us. President Ezra Taft Benson said: “Sometimes the veil between this life and the life beyond becomes very thin. Our loved ones who have passed on are not far from us”.

We are judged many times in our life: in our pre-mortal life, in our life by representatives of the Savior, when men receive the priesthood ordinances, at death to determine where in the world of spirits we will be and in the final judgment.

Pat H: Sometimes we get trip up on judgment. When the resurrection comes forth, we will receive Celestial, Terrestrial or Telestial. That's the Big Judgment.

Yes, there will be no surprises, just remembrances. We will be able to remember. We will feel that whatever we receive will be just and merciful.

Our time is almost gone and I haven't really gotten into the lesson. I spent a lot of time on the outline. But crying takes longer. I have cried more in 1 ½ months. I am wearing the skirt that daddy gave me when he went to Ireland. I was 16 years old. I did take the shoulder pads of my blouse this morning. I miss my dad.

Sally J: My sister- in- law died leaving 5 children and I couldn't understand how that could be. How can she function in the Spirit World when her children are down here without her. The lesson says that “the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.” It gives me hope. It make me feel she feels OK.

Karen M: I think they have an influence on their children.

Martha: I have a friend whose mother died when she was 16 and I wondered how it affected her and her siblings. She bore a beautiful testimony to me as she described account after account of what her mother has done from heaven to help all of them.

Sisters, I encourage you to read Alma 40 and D&C 138 in its entirety.

Alma 40:21-23

“But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say; but this much I say, that there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and he reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works.

Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets.

The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.

This tells us how we exit the Spirit World.

I love the gospel I am thankful for the opportunity I have to share with you. I love Heavenly Father for the words of the prophets that are available to me each day.

Next weeks lesson will be from April Conference “What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?' by Elder Robbins.

There is a second attachment “The Postmortal Spirit World”

September 4, 2011

Good evening sisters. Oh, what a wonderful Testimony Meeting and Relief Society Lesson. Enjoy your Labor Day Holiday.

THOUGHT: “...We need to have family and personal prayers; study the scriptures, particularly the

book of Mormon ; hold family home evenings; follow the admonition of the savior to have one another; and be thoughtful, kind, and gentle within the family. Through these and other similar small and simple things, we have the promise that our lives will be filled with peace and joy.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. September 10^th, 8:30 am – noon: DAY OF SERVICE. All ward members, including the children, and the youth, are invited to participate in providing service to different ward members.
2. September 15 – Oct 27, 8-10 pm @ Stake Center STAKE WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL. Thursday evenings (No play on October 20 due to fall break.) Open play and no assigned teams yet.
3. September 16^th, 6:30 pm: WARD TEMPLE NIGHT. This is a wonderful opportunity for the YW to offer babysitting service!
4. September 24^th, 4:30 pm @ Stake Center: SOUP SUPPER 7 RS GENERAL BROADCAST. There will be a soup supper before the broadcast at 4:30. The broadcast will start at 6. Our ward has been asked to contribute 3 crock pots of soup by 4 pm on that day.
5. VISITING TEACHING INTERVIEWS: Please sign up for a brief interview on either da: Tuesday Sept. 27^th from 10 am-noon and from 6-8 pm. Or Thursday Sept. 29^th at same hours. If you are unable to attend during one of those times, please contact a member of the presidency. We look forward to visiting with you!
6. Our ward has received assignments from the Stake for donated labor in Sept. and Oct.: Thursday, Sept 15^th 7am-9am. 7 volunteers needed at the Vegetable Farm back of the Lindon cannery to harvest vegetable. Wed., Sept 28^th, 4pm-7pm. 7 volunteers needed at the Lindon cannery to can peaches and Friday Oct 28^th, 3 pm-5pm. 4 volunteers needed at the Lindon cannery to can chili. Contact Brother Moon.
7. SINGLE ADULT FHE on Sept. 12^th: 7 pm: Duane Free presents, “Joseph Smith, A New Look”. Join us at the Stake Center for a very interesting evening, good company and refreshments.”

BIRTHDAYS: Happy Birthday to Vera Larsen, Sept. 5^th.

WE WISH TO THANK STEFFANI GARCES FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK SHE DID AS OUR RS ACTIVITY LEADER: WE WILL MISS HER GREATLY. THANK YOU STEFFANI.

Our first Sunday message was presented by Martha M. She talked about Peace and took her remarks from Elder L. Whitney Clayton talk “That Your Burdens May Be Light”, General Conference talk.

I'm grateful to Heavenly Father to let me know what I will sharing with you today was confirmed in Sacrament Meeting. This is in fact, a follow up of Sacrament Meeting. PEACE is what I will be talking about today. I think that Heavenly Father is directing the Relief Society to help strengthen us. I have read much in preparing for this and as I thought of the order in which I could present this, I felt that wasn't what He wanted me to do. I was to be prepared and invite the Spirit to direct me.

My favorite scripture is John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

I wanted to ask you what 'peace' from the Savior feels like to you.

Cheryl: When I know that I am doing what He wants me to do.

Karen M: It's the absence of fear: not feel worry, stress but a calm feeling.

To me it's everything that brings peace.

Robby: When I moved here, it was a big step of faith. I was leaving my family to marry a man I had not yet physically met, but I had total peace. Over the years, I have always felt happy and peaceful. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for putting me where I am. I am surrounded by peace and love. My youngest daughter had a birthday and I miss her so much, it's been six and ½ years since I've seen her and I had thoughts like 'how stupid can you be, leaving and seeing her, etc., but then the peace came. You are where Heavenly Father wants you to be.

Darla: It's an assurance and confident that all will work out.

Sally J: I have been in a situation, a big problem that I cannot resolve. I have had a part in the situation, but I can't change anything. It had occupied my mind, and when I am alone it eats me up. I have a terrible battle in my mind and was aching for peace. I wanted to find some quietness of mind. I couldn't focus; my thoughts were so damaging to my mind. I decided to go to the temple, and there I felt peace. I had faith there. I went home and continue to have the peace even though I couldn't fix the situation. I recognize that the opposite of having a mental attack was the peace.

Yes, the Lord does lighten our burdens.

Amy W: So many times we have challenges that we can't do anything about. The opposite of peace for me was when there was nothing I could do about the challenge. When Paul was gone to Afghanistan was a difficult time for me. It was a scripture I read often. Look at the scripture, the word LET struck me. The word seems like a passive word, but it's an imperative form, a command form. We are commanded “let not your heart be troubled”. It turned the whole scripture around for me.

Sherry: Also it's about letting go. A release. You are releasing.

I felt such comfort as you said that. Give it to the Savior. It's part of the Atonement. It's not the only scripture that is comforting. There is Matthew 11:28:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

I know in my family there are many trials. Many family issues and worry. As we are fasting today, our prayers are on behalf of many people. Have a personal prayer roll, and my heart goes out to many who have burdens. I want to nurture, to help ease their burdens. I am so grateful for the scripture, for the Savior. I am trying to let go, to understand the Atonement. I can give this to the Savior who suffered for me. Let's go back to the scripture. 'Come unto me, Rest. What does the rest of the Lord mean?

We have so many burdens. It is the last days. Some of the things I watch people bear are serious. The Honeys have heavy burdens with those little boys and with Richard. I helped a friend apply for food stamps because of divorce, she finds herself having to take care of the children and the father chooses not to pay for them. Her burden is real.

My little brother, who is a wonderful man, very strong in the gospel and in his service to the Lord is experiencing big trials. He was offered a job in Arizona, so he moved his family from Boston to Arizona, selling his house and buying a new one. When he got there, he learned that the company was having legal issues and had decided to just let everyone go. Then he got a job offer in Dallas, again sold the house and moved his wife and five children there only to find out when he got there that they had reneged on the offer. There he was, no job, school starting. He recently sent me an e-mail. I want to share some of it with you: He asked us to fast and pray for him.”Thank you for your fasting and prayers so far. We feel the love and this experienced has introduced us to an entire new level of humility, which hurts deeply, but also feels good in a strange way....I had a powerful experience in the Celestial Room, as I presented my case to the Lord, and felt his love, joy, and felt stripped of pride. I would have never asked to be in this situation, but I can see how the Lord lets us suffer so we can grow and learn.”

“I am following President Henry B. Eyring's example of writing how the Lord's hand is revealed in my life, and I am trying to record that. I have made it to the temple more often, and yesterday was a huge day for me as I felt like the Lord honored my sacrifice and I was blessed with more clear understanding of a few things in my life. I have tripled my effort to magnify my calling...

I ask that you pray for me to be able to reconcile the two, and for me to do my best to do my part. I must pray like it all depends on the Lord, and work like it all depends on me.”

I have had hard things to go through. My parents divorce when I was a child and we were almost homeless, living with family here and there. I felt blessed that I made it to college, then on a mission, got married and had my children. I really thought that from then on it was going to be pretty easy. But then the trials came and came and came it seemed forever. It was a lengthy session of trials. I would ask why it would not end. I received a blessing from my husband which told me to learn patience. I don't want to learn I would say. As I look back at the different trials, at the things that I have learned, I realize afterward the blessing that has come as a result of those trials.

In our Family Home Evenings, we discuss the attributes of the Savior, faith, hope, charity, etc that are there to get us thru our difficult trials. In the depths of despair, sorrow, it can help you develop those Christ like attributes that we cannot learn any other way. The Lord sent me grandpa, to help me learn patience because he repeats things over and over again. We have had him for ten years. Trials can send us to the depth of humility.

Elder Clayton tells the story of a man from a local indigenous group walking down one of the streets of Cusco, Peru, high in the Andes Mountains. He was not a big man physically, but he carried an immense load of firewood in a huge burlap sack on his back. The sack seemed to be as big as he was. The load must have weighed as much as he did. He steadied it with a rope that looped under the bottom of the sack and circled up around his forehead. He gripped the rope tightly on both sides of his head. He kept a rag on his forehead underneath the rope to keep it from cutting into his skin. He leaned forward under his burden and walked with deliberate, difficult steps.

The man was carrying the firewood to the marketplace, where it would be sold. In an average day he might make just two or three round-trips across the town to deliver similarly awkward, heavy loads.

The memory of him bent forward, struggling down the street has become increasingly meaningful for me with the passage of years. How long could he continue to carry such burdens?

Life presses all kinds of burdens on each of us, some light but others relentless and heavy. People struggle every day under burdens that tax their souls. Many of us struggle under such burdens. They can be emotionally or physically ponderous. They can be worrisome, oppressive, and exhausting. And they can continue for years.”

As I look out at you, I get it. There are seasons of difficult trials. 'We go into the difficult trial. We then are in the thick of the difficult trial. We are coming out of the difficult trial. We are helping others thru their difficult trials.'

Illness, death, infidelity, addictions, decision making, financial, wondering about American, paying for our leaders,. What threatens our peace?

Francesca: When your friends are having trials and you can't help them.

Sherry: the Decisions of loved ones.

Yes, the burdens we have as a result of the consequences of others. How can we not have our peace threaten?

Sally J: I am reminded of the man who lost his wife and child when a drunk driver ran into their car and how he forgave him. In Utah there are so many who forgive and peace come from doing that.

Like Elizabeth Smart. My heart hurts over what she has gone through. “Smart also urges others who are struggling to never give up. “No matter what happens, we have a Heavenly Father who is always there and will never abandon us. There is always hope. For me, the word 'gospel' means hope. No matter how bad things get, that's the one thing yo can always hold on to. The gospel will never fail you. People might fail you, but the gospel won't”.

As I study people that are my heroes I see what sustain them.

There is a pioneer, Sarah Rich who buried her child without her friends who loved her in her life. How she pack up and left and moved on. Megan was inspired by the 'Circle in Strength' logo. I am upheld by my friends who are sustained by their covenants, who are stripped of pride, who are humble and teachable before God, who submit and trust in the Lord's will and who are sustained by others' faith, charity, strength and prayers on your behalf.

All of us have felt that when we are in a weak, lonely despair moment that we can be comforted by the Holy Ghost. We learn patience. I am grateful for my 'forties' season when I can help others. We need to focus on gratitude, to find blessings to be thankful. I am strengthened by the priesthood and the ordinances and I can count my many blessings. It is part of the experience. Bad things do happen to good people.

When grandpa was kidnapped, beaten and was hurting for six weeks, I was very angry, and it took a long time to get over it. To let go of the anger. I wanted justice. In the end, the justice I wanted didn't happen, but I testify we can find peace as we apply some of the tools that I have mentioned. To be attentive and responsive to the heeding and comfort of the Spirit' learn patience, focus on gratitude, be strengthened by priesthood and covenants and count our blessings. Along with prayer, temple. Heavenly Father is building us a foundation for eternity. He is doing it with love. We don't have to be alone. He wants to carry us, comfort us. We can get thru the hard times. One day we will have rest and be grateful for our trials. For these wonderful blessed, cherished moments.

Megan then shared some special feelings with us. She said that she has had to learn how to apply the Savior's principles in her life. To find the tender mercies in our lives. It is not easy for her to share openly her feelings as she is a private person but felt that the Lord wanted her to share with the sisters. It is not easy to do when life gets tough. To find anything good. She has been reading the book, “Divine Signatures” and has learned some lessons from it. Two years ago she was diagnosed with a health condition that there is no cure for it. The symptoms can come suddenly. But she has seen the Lord's hand in her life. She has two friends who also suffer from the condition who can support her, ever giving her hope. She had to share because 'I testify that even as I have had extra burdens to carry, the symptoms have not been there. As I deal with other challenges, I know He is there for me, for each of you. I used to wonder how people at the pulpit could say that they loved the people they were addressing. I understand now. I love each of you as you carry many burdens. Your example inspire me.

Next weeks lesson is lesson #40 Temple Work and Family History

Have a wonderful week and don't forget to fly your fly on Sunday, Sept. 11

 

August 28, 2011

Good evening sisters. Last Sunday of the month. September is a new beginning.

THOUGHT: It is not position, it is not education that gives the Spirit of God; but it is keeping the commandments of almighty God and being lowly in heart and desiring to fulfill the commandments of God in our daily walk and conversation....No man will fail who is doing is duty in this Church. But Satan has poser over those who become selfish and sordid and set their heats upon the things of the earth and fail to render thanks in all things unto god.”

Heber J. Grant

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. The history of the Relief Society that Sister Julie Beck spoke about earlier this year is completed! It is entitled “Daughters in My Kingdom The History and Work of Relief Society.” Each Relief Society sister will receive her own copy of this wonderful book. It will be coming soon!
2. Day of Service Saturday, September 10^th from 8 am-noon. All Ward members, including the children and the youth, are invited to participate in providing service to different ward members.
3. Stake Women's volleyball Thursday evenings, September 15^th thru October 27^th from 8-10 pm at the Stake Center. (No play on October 20^th due to fall break.) Open play and no assigned teams yet.
4. Ward Temple Night on Friday, September 16^th at 6:30pm
5. Our Circle in Friendship...Part 2 has been postponed until further notice.
6. Relief Society General Broadcast Saturday, September 24^th at the Stake Center. There will be a soup supper before the broadcast at 4:30 pm. The broadcast will start at 6:00 pm. Our ward has been asked to contribute 3 crock pots of soup to be there by 4:00 pm on that day.
7. Visiting Teaching Interviews: Sign up for a brief interview on either day: Tuesday, September 27^th from 10 am-noon and then again from 6-8 pm or Thursday, September 29^th from 10 am-noon and then again from 6-8 pm. If you are unable to attend during one of those times, please contact a member of the presidency.
8. We have a Stake Cannery Assignment. Please contact Brother Moon for more information.

BIRTHDAYS: August 29^th, Amy W. Happy Birthday Amy. Enjoy your day.

Our Lesson today if from the April Conference Ensign, by President Uchtdorf entitled: Your Potential, Your Privilege and it was presented to us by Darla Cox.

The Laurels stayed today along with the Mia Maids.

Welcome Mia Maids, it's always such a pleasure to have all the young women join us for opening exercises. I will be the discussion leader, not the teacher. We have all sort of women today, some more saggier than others, but still we're all young.

I hope today's lesson is new material. It was given at the Priesthood Session. The focus is on the brethren and it's about Priesthood Power, but we'll talk about it as it pertains to the sisters and service in Relief Society. We'll take it to fit us as women in Relief Society.

He starts off with a wonderful story. “There once was a man whose lifelong dream was to board a cruise ship and sail the Mediterranean Sea. He dreamed of walking the streets of Rome, Athens, and Istanbul. He saved every penny until he had enough for his passage. Since money was tight, he brought an extra suitcase filled with cans of beans, boxes of crackers, and bags of powdered lemonade, and that is what he lived on every day.

He would have loved to take part in the many activities offered on the ship—working out in the gym, playing miniature golf, and swimming in the pool. He envied those who went to movies, shows, and cultural presentations. And, oh, how he yearned for only a taste of the amazing food he saw on the ship—every meal appeared to be a feast! But the man wanted to spend so very little money that he didn't participate in any of these. He was able to see the cities he had longed to visit, but for the most part of the journey, he stayed in his cabin and ate only his humble food.

On the last day of the cruise, a crew member asked him which of the farewell parties he would be attending. It was then that the man learned that not only the farewell party but almost everything on board the cruise ship—the food, the entertainment, all the activities—had been included in the price of his ticket. Too late the man realized that he had been living far beneath his privileges.”

Sisters, are we guilty of the same thing? Living beneath our privileges? President Uchtdorf ask “Are we as priesthood holders living below our privileges when it come to the sacred power, gifts, and blessings that are our opportunity and right as bearers of God's priesthood? We could substitute the word 'sisters' in place of priesthood holders and 'daughters of God' in place of as bearers of God's priesthood.

I am just throwing out some thoughts and ideas as to our potential as Relief Society sister. Let's talk about the grandeur of the Priesthood. “The Prophet Joseph taught that “the Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity...to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years.” It holds “even the key of the knowledge of God.” In fact, through the priesthood the very “power of godliness is manifest.”

“Faithful Melchizedek Priesthood holders can “become...the elect of God.” They are “sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies” and can ultimately receive “all that (the) Father hath.” The question as Relief Society sisters is that we go, go, go, and do, do, do. Do we receive a renewal of our bodies? We accept assignments even when we do not have the strength, but somehow we feel renewed.

Karen M: I have been reading President Monson's biography and it is amazing all that he has accomplished. He is an example of that very statement. The renewal of the body.

Robby: I want to go back to the previous question. This months visiting teaching message does go along with that. I just love it.

May I share some of the quotes? “It is the duty of each one of us to be a holy woman. We shall have elevated aims, if we are holy women. We shall feel that we are called to perform important duties. No one is exempt from them. There is not sister so isolated, and her sphere so narrow but what she can do a great deal towards establishing the Kingdom of God upon the earth.”

“Sisters, we are not isolated nor is our sphere narrow. By accepting the gift of activity in Relief Society, we become part of what the Prophet Joseph described as a society “separate from all the evils of the world—choice, virtuous, and holy.”

“This society helps us strengthen our faith and grow spiritually by giving us leadership, service, and teaching opportunities. In our service a new dimension is added to our lives. We progress spiritually, and our sense of belonging, identity, and self-worth increases. We realize that the whole intent of the gospel plan is to provide an opportunity for us to reach our fullest potential.”

“Relief Society helps prepare us to receive the blessings of the temple, to honor the covenants we make, and to be engaged in the cause of Zion. Relief Society helps us increase our faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families, and seek our and help those in need.”

The whole world feels that the way to increase your self-worth is determined by how we look. Listen as I read our promise.

“The work of Relief Society is holy, and doing holy work creates holiness in us.”

The Prophet Joseph emphasized holiness, explaining that as sister became pure and holy, they would have a marked influence upon the world. He explained: “meekness, love, purity—these are the things that should magnify you....This Society....shall have power to command queens in their midst. ….The Kings and queens of the earth will come unto Zion, and pay their respects.” Relief Society sisters living their covenants command the respect not only of noble people, but “if you live up to your privileges,” Joseph promised the sisters, “the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.”

Shanae: Before I went on my mission, I struggled with my self-esteem. Then on my mission I had to learn how to be my self and be a missionary at the same time. My friend who went on a mission felt that as a missionary he could reach his potential. I found myself become what I wish I had done in High School. I found myself becoming more outgoing, poor confident, more able to talk to people, more social. As I focus on what Heavenly Father wanted me to do I became that person. The person I wanted to be.

I went to Mormon Doctrine because I had always heard about priesthood power and wanted to learn more about it. Instead I found the word 'power' and it send me to 'Omnipotence'. “God is omnipotent; he is the Lord Omnipotent, the Lord God Omnipotent. Omnipotence consists in having unlimited power, and God has all power, and there is no power which he does not have. Those who obtain exaltation will gain all power and thus themselves be omnipotent.”

Question: What Can We Do to Live Up to Our Potential?

Read the Scriptures.

“As you read the scriptures and listen to the words of the prophets with all your heart and mind, the Lord will tell you how to live up to your priesthood privileges. Don't let a day go by without doing something to act on the promptings of the Spirit.”

“The holy priesthood of God also has an owner's manual. Let us commit to reading the scriptures and handbooks with more purpose and more focus. ...The more we study the purpose, potential, and practical use of the priesthood, the more we will be amazed by its power, and the Spirit will teach us how to access and use that power to bless our families, our communities, and the Church.”

Does this apply to us? Can we bless our families, our communities, and the Church?

Amy S: I had a concern and started to study and as I did, I noticed a pattern. The importance of reaching the one. In the Savior's writings, he invites us to come unto him by reaching the one. Both the Priesthood and the Women can do that. The Savior assigned Home Teaching and Visiting Teachings on a smaller scale to reach out. As mothers, we reach out to our children.

If a mother is seeking after the one, even a nation benefits. What's that saying. “She that rocks a cradle rules the world.”

Second: Seek the Revelations of the Spirit

“Revelation and testimony do not always come with overwhelming force. For many, a testimony comes slowly—a piece at a time. Sometimes it comes so gradually that is is hard to recall the exact moment we actually knew the gospel was true. The Lord gives us “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.”

“In some ways, our testimony is like a snowball that grows larger with every turn. We start out with a small amount of light—even if it is only a desire to believe. Gradually, “light cleaveth unto light,” and “he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, reveiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day”, when “in due time (we) receive of his fulness.”

“Think of what a glorious thing it is to reach beyond our earthly limitations, to have the eyes of our understanding opened and receive light and knowledge from celestial sources! It is our privilege and opportunity as bearers of the priesthood to seek personal revelation and to learn how to know the truth for ourselves through the sure witness of the Holy Spirit.”

“Let us earnestly seek the light of personal inspiration. Let us plead with the Lord to endow our mind and soul with the spark of faith that will enable us to receive and recognize the divine ministering of the Holy Spirit for our specific life situations and for our challenges and priesthood duties.”

If I feel it in my mind and in my heart. Like Amy W said in Sunday School, when it's good and charitable, then you know that it is of Christ.

Shanae: Last year I attended a fireside and the speaker asked, “how do you know the difference between your thought and the spirit? He said that we are blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost which is always with us and as long as the spirit hasn't left us, there is no difference.

It's good to think to check. Is it charitable, kind and good?

Melissa B: Sister Hinckley said that if you get a prompting to do good for someone else. Do it.

Third: Find Joy in Service

It doesn't count if we serve begrudgingly. If we struggle with it, pray for a joyful experience.

“You may want to ask yourself if you are merely going through the motions (as a priesthood bearer)-doing what is expected but not experiencing the joy that should be yours”

“During my career as an airline pilot, I had the opportunity to be a check and training captain. Part of this job was to train and test experienced pilots to ensure that they had the necessary knowledge and skills to safely and efficiently operate those magnificent big jets.”.

“I found that there were pilots who, even after many ears of flying professionally, never lost the thrill of climbing into the atmosphere, having “slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings.” They loved the sound of rushing air, the growling of the powerful engines, the feeling of being “one with the wind and one with the dark sky and the stars ahead.” Their enthusiasm was contagious.”

“There were also a few who seemed to be merely going through the motions. They had mastered the systems and the handling of the jets, but somewhere along the way they had lost the joy of flying “where never lark, or even eagle flew.” They had lost their sense of awe at a glowing sunrise, at the beauties of God's creations as they crossed oceans and continents. If they met the official requirements, I certified them, but at the same time I felt sorry for them.”

Thoughts?

Robby: It's the same with any job. We should say, go, yea, I have a job. It also applies to service.

Leslie: we should have a smile when we do service.

Martha: My girls taught me a lesson. I became a volunteer to help set up the garden party for the family after Amy W. father's funeral. My girls wanted to join me and they found great joy in getting everything ready, the tables, center pieces, etc. They even brought some of their friends. When there is virtuous living, there is joy in the service. Francesca is so fearful of death and cemeteries. She has even asked me to have our plots on the curb. But we had so much fun.

Megan: It's the power that she as a mother has by her example. There is power in example.

Amy W: It's what daughters bring. What the young folks bring is more energy. More things that can be done. Energy in the world today is what is needed. A small amount of your energy towards good, charitable objective is so much power.

I think you young ladies are wonderful.

Andrea C: I know that Service is a big part of what I like to do when I am having a bad day. I find when I go to the Developmental Center, it helps put things in perspective. It completely changes me. I have never shared with my mother part of my patriarchal blessing which says that you have a wonderful mother and will look to her attributes. I never shared that before with her.

Francesca M: We are given strength when serving others. People are always in and out of our house. The physical bodies are there, but what is needed is the spirit. It's the ideal place to have the spirit. Saint Martha is what people call my mom. The name of the church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Saints, that's what we do. What can be. Saints to others.

Yes, we are strengthen in our service. Last week we were in Wyoming at Martin's Cove, reflecting about the pioneers. I remember the pioneers talking about someone pushing the handcarts when they just couldn't do it anymore. One of the Sister Missionaries had a thought. Take it for what it is, a thought. She said, perhaps, could it have been the descendents of those pioneers, helping. Perhaps, those were the angels pushing.

I testify,there is strength in service. If we don't have the strength to go forward, know that the Lord will sustain us. He will give us the strength. I hope that all will be bless in our service. Rise to our potential.

Don't forget our blog: http://manila12thwardrs.blogspot.com/

August 21, 2011

Good evening sisters, what a beautiful day this has been.

THOUGHT: “My great plea is that we all try a little harder to live up to the stature of divinity that is within us. We can do better than we are doing. We can be better than we are.”

Gordon B. Hinckley

Thank you so much sisters for your help and support to Amy Waldron and her family. The luncheon was wonderful. We are all indeed Circled in Strength.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Father/Son camp out this coming Friday and Saturday, August 26^th and 27^th.
2. Saturday, Sept. 10^th 8 - 12 noon is our Ward Service Day. Everyone is included.
3. Friday, Sept. 16^th is our Ward Temple Night.
4. Thursday, Sept. 22^nd is our Circle in Friendship Night at Megan's back yard. It will be another salad/dessert evening where you'll have the opportunity to take a break from getting the kids back to school. Yea!

BIRTHDAYS: Aug. 22^nd, Judy G. Aug. 25^th Ann J., Aug. 25^th Cheryl N. Aug. 26^th Christy S.. Happy Birthday sisters.

Our Lesson today was presented by Lynette, lesson # 39,”The Law of Chastity”

Five or six years ago I was called to teach Primary. I didn't know how to speak primary, but I remember the music leader asking, do you know what chaste means? There were little four year old children there and one 4 year old said, “chaste means running real fast, so you won't get caught.” I thought of Joseph of the Old Testament, when he was confronted by Pontifer's wife and how he got himself out of there. We can learn a lot of wisdom from these little ones.

This is a long lesson and I appeal to you to go home and read it. There is much to learn. You know nothing is off limits anymore in this world of ours. The first page is very interesting and I have provided a hand out on talking to your children. ( I have included it as an attachment) It seems like children were 16 or 17 years old before parents had to approach them about chastity. Now it's ages nine or ten.

Nichole L: Our children are exposed to so things that have to do with sexuality. Television, movies, music, computers, friends.

THE LAW OF CHASTITY

The Power of Procreation

Turn to your neighbor and discuss what is the power of procreation.

Robby: It is the power to be able to bring spirits from Heavenly Father. In the world today, people are oblivious to it.

Christy S: It's a gift, not a right.

“God commanded each living thing to reproduce after its own kind. Reproduction was part of His plan so that all forms of life could continue to exist upon the earth.

Then He placed Adam and Eve on the earth. They were different from His other creations because they were His spirit children. In the Garden of Eden, He brought Adam and Eve together in marriage and commanded them to multiply and replenish the earth. However, their lives were to be governed by moral laws rather than by instinct.”

“God wanted His spirit children to be born into families so they could be properly cared for and taught. We, like Adam and Eve, are to provide physical bodies for these spirit children. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have stated, “We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed”. God has commanded us that only in marriage between a man and a woman are we to have sexual relations. This commandment is called the law of chastity.”

We can see, sisters, how Satan has influenced the world to do otherwise.

The Law of Chastity

What is the law of chastity?

I was so impressed by the quote from the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet.

“Before marriage, do not do anything to arouse the powerful emotions that must be expressed only in marriage. Do not participate in passionate kissing, lie on top of another person, or touch the private, sacred parts of another person's body, with or without clothing. Do not allow anyone to do that with you. Do not arouse those emotions in your own body”.

Can't get any clearer than that.

Years ago my husband and I took in a young lady in her 20s. At that time if a single girl got pregnant she would go somewhere to have her baby and then she would put it up for adoption. Gladys and I became great friends. She was a great cook too. She had been married for five years to an alcoholic and had divorced. She then threw away all her birth control pills. Her sister counseled her against doing that, but she said she had not intention of needing them again. She thought that she would be safe, but she became pregnant. We have to always be aware of our weaknesses.

I also remember when I was principal in Spanish Fork. There was this young man who had received a scholarship, he was very smart and had a great future ahead of him. At the end of his senior year, he found out that he was to be a father. He knew that he needed to support the baby and so he joined the Army and lost his scholarship. He came back to ask permission to miss graduation because he had to report to the Army. We all felt his pain. As he walked away with his head hanging down and his heavy burden, we asked him what his recommendation to young people would be. At first he said, I don't know. He cam back and said “Tell them never to date alone.”

We have to understand that the power of emotion is very strong. It is very clearly stated in the booklet. It's a good springboard to discuss and help our young people understand.

Nichole: The church has put on several short films about chastity. You can find them on 'you tube' We had our boys sit down and watch them with us and then we had an open discussion.

Robby: Yes, if you are on facebook, you can become a friend to the Church.

(Sisters, go to www.youtube.com/user/mormonmessagesyouth. From my facebook page I did a search on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and found Mormon Message for Youth “ I Choose to be Pure”. It is very good.)

Sisters, always remember that “When the time of need arises, the hours of preparation is past.” Don't wait to discuss this issue after the fact. Now is the time. Make it easy to talk to your children about it. I remember when my son was about 11 or so and we had been car pooling. On the way home, my son said that his friend's mom had told him that when he was 12, she would tell him about the birds and the bees. I thought, this is the opportunity to talk to my son, so I went on to tell him some things. Not everything, but enough. I then asked him if he had any other questions. He told me he never had any questions. And here I thought I was being very smart about the whole thing.

Robby: I was 25 years old with two kids when I joined the church. I remember as a teenage that I went to a town hall meeting where they talked about the birds and the bees. I had not idea really what they were saying even thought I sat there through the whole thing. I went home and mom had thrown a pamphlet on my bed about it. None of our parents talked to us about anything. I was at the office with some of my coworkers and one of them had a 16 year old. She wanted to know why she couldn't do such and such or go such and such. Why? Her father said, “When you get that throbbing in your loins, you'll know why. The movies make it all appear so great and wonderful.

Yes, we need to help our young people understand.

Satan Wants Us to Break the Law of Chastity

What are some ways Satan tempts people to break the law of chastity?

Robby: Years ago I used to love watching “Friends” on television with my kids. I loved the show. But then President Hinckley counseled us not to watch it, that it was not a good show because it portrayed sleeping together as OK.

Today's sit coms are getting worse. Just watching the advertisements is enough.

Nichole: Satan knows that Heavenly Father cares about families. He knows about breaking up homes, mothers and fathers.

Sharon H: Yes, even taxes are cheaper if you just live together instead of being married.

Some ways Satan tempts people:

He entices them to break the Law of Chastity and He breaks the family.

Amy S: What's at stake now and in the future? President Bateman said that those not able to obey now will miss out later.

How is modesty and chastity related?

Robby: In today's standard nothing is left to the imagination. Girls and women need to understand that at teen age years, the boy's hormones go crazy.

Yes, there was a young elder in the MTC who felt the need to go home. He had been working on a language booth when one of the sister missionaries bent over to help him and somehow she exposed enough of her body that it affected him and he felt very guilty, so he felt he wasn't worthy to be a missionary. That is the power of emotion. We need to teach the girls.

Sharon H: Bishop Edman says that dressing immodestly around boys is like bringing a box on donuts and showing it to the boys on fast Sunday.

Stacey C: How we dress does make a difference even on how we act. My y year old acts differently when in a dress, even at this very young age.

Karen M: I was at lunch with a friend who has an 18 year old step-granddaughter. My friend was telling me that they were at a Country Club pool when the step-granddaughter arrived in a very skimpy bikini. It was quite embarrassing. No one would approach the girl and tell her it was not appropriate attire. I asked her why didn't she say anything or her mother? They were scared that the girl would get mad at them and not talk to them again. No one could do it. Finally someone from the Country Club told her that she needed to change her clothes and she did.

Luone: Along with teaching the young women to respect their bodies, I feel that we also need to tell them that it is not their fault if a young man lust after them. Help them to understand though the powerful emotions of young men. How they are aroused very quickly. But not to blame themselves if they are dressed appropriately. The girls do not need to take upon themselves another layer of guilt. Caution them.

Megan D: They need to invite the spirit to convey that feelings are for a reason. This is normal. Help them to learn to police themselves.

Nichole: If something does happen, they need to know about repentance.

Shanae N: My friends are afraid of sex. All their lives they have been taught to not engage and then the idea of everything changing when they marry is hard. It is hard to bridge the gap. It is about respect.

Yes, they need to know that it is good. It is Heavenly Father's plan, but because it is good, we need to be obedient.

Pat H: Mothers need to teach their daughters this. It has become a big problem in the Church. Young women live a life of chastity, but then it goes on into their marriage and they can't turn off that chastity thing.

Satan sometimes tempts us through our emotions. He knows when we are lonely, confused, or depressed. He chooses this time of weakness to tempt us to break the law of chastity. Our Heavenly Father can give us the strength to pass through these trials unharmed.”

Breaking the Law of Chastity Is Extremely Serious

Those Who Break the Law of Chastity Can Be Forgiven

Those Who Keep the Law of Chastity Are Greatly Blessed

Sister, go home and read the lesson. Know how hard this is. When I was in the school system in Billings, Montana, one year in Jr. High School, I had to deal with 12 or 13 pregnancies in that year. These were 12 – 14 year old girls and over half of them were LDS. This is a powerful Law and it can be difficult. But we can be an influence on many, children, grandchildren, nieces, etc. etc.

Next weeks Lesson will be from the April Gen. Conference. Pres. Uchtdorf: “Your Potential, Your Privilege”.

Link to our RS Blog:  http://manila12thwardrs.blogspot.com/ 

August 14, 2011 

Good evening sisters. What a wonderful Sacrament Meeting we enjoyed today. Thanks to Luone and her children for the wonderful musical number.

THOUGHT: “You have to be committed to the relationship. You might not always feel committed to the person—sometimes the person is not someone you want to be around for a while. But the idea of marriage and family is much bigger than how we individually feel at any given moment.”

(Quote from Family Focus, ' Strategies for Sacred Living'. 'Intentionally living five key principles can help your family flourish' by M. Sue Bergin BYU Magazine Summer 2011)

Thanks to Steffanie Garces for the wonderful Cooking RS Activity Thursday night. The recipes are posted on our RS Blog. Here is our link: http://manila12thwardrs.blogspot.com/ Sarah has done an amazing job with our blog. Check it out.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. BYU Campus Education Week August 15-19.
2. Father-Son Outing August 26 and 27.
3. Coming up September 10^th is our Ward Day of Service from 8:00-noon.
4. Coming up September 16^th. Ward Temple Night.

BIRTHDAYS: August 18^th Angie Gardner

Our lesson today was presented by Amy Smart who was substituting for Amy Waldron. Please keep the Waldrons and her dad in your prayers.

Eternal Marriage Lesson 38

I am so grateful for Relief Society, because I know that you sisters have ideas and comments that contribute greatly to our lessons. Our lesson today is on Eternal Marriage and we are actually celebrating marriage in our ward. We have had one recent Marriage and will be having two marriages this week. Marriage is a blessing especially when it is associated with Eternal Marriage.

President Kimball: “We have no choice … but to continue to hold up the ideal of the Latter-day Saint family. The fact that some do not now have the privilege of living in such a family is not reason enough to stop talking about it. We do discuss family life with sensitivity, however, realizing that many … do not presently have the privilege of belonging or contributing to such a family. But we cannot set aside this standard, because so many other things depend upon it.”

Spencer W. Kimball (Special Women's Fireside, Sept. 1978)

Loved Amy's lesson about family. None of us live in a perfect family. It's all part of mortality. Today we will focus on the blessings that come from living those eternal principles that are part of the doctrine of Eternal Marriage. What the Lord has presented to us. Why Eternal Marriage is a blessing.

Quote read by Kaelie: “Adam and Eve were married by God before there was any death in the world. They had an eternal marriage. They taught the law of eternal marriage to their children and their children's children. As the years passed, wickedness entered the hearts of the people and the authority to perform this sacred ordinance was taken from the earth. Through the Restoration of the gospel, eternal marriage has been restored to earth.”

What do we learn here? That Eternal Marriage was established through Adam and Eve until the Apostasy when the doctrine was taken away.

What is the Lord's doctrine of Eternal Marriage?

Janet: Priesthood ordinances

Darla: It's between man and woman.

Shanae: It's the key to exaltation

Janet: It's the highest level in the Celestial Kingdom

It's based on faithfulness. What does it mean when we say if we do not keep our covenants, it doesn't work?

Francesca: We can be happy as long as we keep the covenants, but if the covenants are broken, then the marriage can fall apart.

Importance of covenants

Kaelie:

Eternal Increase

Nichole: All of this is offer in a temple only.

Only in the temple

Thank you. That is the Key.

Pat J read Quote: “Not only must an eternal marriage be performed by the proper priesthood authority, but it must also be done in one of the holy temples of our Lord. The temple is the only place this holy ordinance can be performed.”

Why is it important to know that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God?

Cathy M: We went to a sealing and the sealer said that we came her to have a body. When Mike and I got engaged, we understood that together we had a purpose of why we are here.

Lynette: In this day and age, we are faced with the challenge of same sex marriage. We have a need to be more powerful as a people to combat those things that aren't right.

Quote: “Many people in the world consider marriage to be only a social custom, a legal agreement between a man and a woman to live together. But to Latter-day Saints, marriage is much more. Our exaltation depends on marriage, along with other principles and ordinances, such as faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that marriage is the most sacred relationship that can exist between a man and a woman. This sacred relationship affects our happiness now and in the eternities.”

How does the Lord's view of marriage differ from the world? My family and I went to visit Michael's parent in Maine. His mother joined the church when he was 3 years old, his father was in the military and he joined 5 years later. She was searching for more than what religion she had. Her next door neighbor had a sticker on her car that said: “Happiness is Family Home Evening”. We and Michael's family are the only members of the church. His parents don't live in Maine anymore but since they were going there to visit the rest of the family, we decided we would go also, so we could see grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was fun to be with them. Friday morning I had a discussion with my mother-in-law about marriage. Some of the young couples were living together. One girl said that since they had not lived together yet, they weren't quite sure if marriage was the thing to do yet. This is the norm for the world. On the way home, I rad a magazine article about this woman and how hard it was for her to grow up in a home of divorced parents where she hardly saw her father. She decided that when she got married, she would not do that to her children. So when she met someone, she decided that they would live together for a while, which they did and then they got married. But they ended up in divorce anyway.

Pat H: I served two stake missions and while teaching people the gospel, they would recognize the truth of Joseph Smith, but when it came to the principle of eternal marriage, some of them didn't want each other eternally. They wanted to be baptized, but didn't want eternal marriage. Commitment and respect is more important than love. There is so much to commitment. If we love the Lord enough, then love can transfer to your companion. But there are many couples who don't want eternal marriage.

Tysha R: We can look back at past generations and can see that commitment was a social norm. But along the way people lost the knowledge of why it was that way. For some it's a rebellion thing, but I think that for the most part, people don't remember why marriage commitment is important.

Satan is so subtle. He has created this change in the way we look at relationships. He tell us that we deserve to have this exhilarating feeling all the time. That is being selfish. The Lord taught us to sacrifice for each other. That's why there is so much divorce. People want that feeling to be there all the time.

Lynette: As I look at the list on the board, I feel that there is one that can act as the umbrella over all the rest. And that is choose your companion carefully. I have a cousin who was an area authority and was just a Mission President. He had dinner with Elder Hales. When my cousin was in the BYU Bishopric Elder Hales told him that he must counsel his young people to be careful who they married. That it was better to remain single than be married to the wrong person. He asked him, are you still teaching that principle?

We have to be careful in our choice and make sure who that companion will be, because there is so mulch to consider. Personalities, mental illness, etch.

Luone: I see great consequences of people living together, divorcing, marrying again, etc. I was talking to my children that we go forward to do temple work how hard it will be for future generations as they do temple work. With so many not marrying, living together, having children from different spouses, can you imagine trying to connect families. Who goes with what father, mother, etc. It will be a challenge.

Kaelie: While other people suffer from heartache, there is beauty to think we can be good example of what families can be. Many people are tender hearted who are afraid of making commitment. We can be the good example for others to see that families can be strong, can find more confidence.

This was the experience with Michael's family. When his parents joined the church they couldn't see why. Now they can see the fruit of their faith. They see the children committed to each other. They do have respect for the members of the church. Here is happiness that we can have.

What are the blessings of an eternal marriage in this life and in eternity?

Megan: Satan can counterfeit all emotions except peace. Only the Holy Ghost can give us that.

Sister Randall: I find that we can have the same common base regardless of how different we may be otherwise.

Tysha R: We can have the spirit to guide you and help you work through it.

Again we can talk about the broad topic that brings out the differences among all, but the key is to have a personal relationship with the Lord. He knows each one of us, of each of our children. He is the one who can make a difference.

Francesca: When I think of all these blessings, why would you want anything else.

Covenants is the Key too.

We know that our marriage can last forever. Death can part us from one another only temporarily. Nothing can part us forever except our own disobedience. This knowledge helps us work harder to have a happy, successful marriage.

Janet: I have a friend whose husband felled off a roof and became paralyzed. She raised her five children and took care of him for 25 years before he died. She honored her covenants.

How would we cope without the eternal perspective?

We know that our family relationships can continue throughout eternity. This knowledge helps us be careful in teaching and training our children. It also helps us show them greater patience and love. As a result, we should have a happier home.

Because we have been married in God's ordained way, we are entitled to an outpouring of the Spirit on our marriage as we remain worthy.

Mary T read quote: “We must seek earnestly to obey every covenant that we make in the temple. The Lord has said that if we are true and faithful, we will enter into our exaltation. We will become like our Heavenly Father. (See D&C 132:19-20.) Temple marriage is worth any sacrifice. It is a way of obtaining eternal blessings beyond measure.”

Pat H: The Lundbergs have a website that I feel is very worthwhile. So much so, that I have sent the website to each of my children. Their feedback was great. They became aware of things that they needed to change in their marriages. One is “A wake up for wives and A wake up for husbands.

Shanae: While we were on our honeymoon we sat at a table with couples that have been married for 60 years, 26 years, 29 years. I asked them if they had any advise for us. Never say never and always. Always make up quick. Even non-member have perspective of Heavenly Father.

Visitor: Do not make each other your rock. Make Christ your rock..

Yes, it's a three person relationship. Husband, wife and Christ.

We all go through different stages in our life. That relationship with the Lord is good. Seek earnestly to obey and keep our covenants, including sacrifice.

I loved Elder Scott's thoughts on Marriage. We will now read President Monson's thoughts.

“Choose a companion carefully and prayerfully; and when you are married, be fiercely loyal one to another. . .President Howard W. Hunter said this about marriage: “Being happily and successfully married is generally not so much a matter of marrying the right person as it is being the right person.” I like that. “The conscious effort to do one's part fully is the greatest element contributing to success.”

“If any of you are having difficulty in your marriage, I urge you to do all that you can to make whatever repairs are necessary, that you might be as happy as you were when your marriage started out. We who are married in the house of the Lord do so for time and for all eternity, and then we must put forth the necessary effort to make it so. I realize that there are situations when marriages cannot be saved, but I feel strongly that for the most part they can be and should be”.

Luone: We need to choose our companions carefully. Look at their families, how they interact with each other. Do they use sarcasm? Some use sarcasm and cover it up as a joke. Don't put people down. Avoid that.

We have talked about grace a lot. I was so touched with the song Amazing Grace that Luone and her children sang. And it is through the grace of the atonement that we can be healed, can overcome, can be better, can get through the challenging times. We are bless with joy.

Back in March when the honor code was such a drama and we had a lot of LDS people talking about the honor code, I was so impressed with Danny Ainge. He was on a talk radio show and was talking about his experience in playing professional basketball. His team mates poked fun at him, telling him he wouldn't fun any fun. How restricted he was. He told them, he had fun, he had a wonderful wife and children. Years later, those teammates were going through their own struggles. Who is having fun now? He quoted from the Book of Mormon: Men are that they might have joy.

There are lots of thing that can make you happy, but life is about having joy and that only comes from God. In our homes, family, we can find joy that is everlasting.

 

 

August 7, 2011

Hi sisters, what a beautiful evening.

THOUGHT: “I believe we need to speak of and believe in and bear testimony of the ministry of angels more than we sometimes do. They constitute one of God's great methods of witnessing through the veil, and no document in all this world teaches that principle so clearly and so powerfully as does the Book of Mormon”. Elder Jeffrey R Holland

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Blood Drive: Brother Moon will contact those who signed up.
2. Mommy Mingle: Wednesday, August 10, 11 am at the Alpine Park and Splash Pad (from the Alpine Highway turn right at 100 South and head east to 600 East). Any Questions, please contact Jen Rutter 801-756-2818 or jenraerutter@hotmail.com
3. Cooking group at Steffanie Garces's home on Thursday, Aug 11, 7 pm. Yummy and easy back-to-school recipes.

BIRTHDAYS: August 9^th – Megan Duckworth; August 12^th – Melisa Grieve; August 13^th Shanel Whitehead; August 13^th ;Martha Montagnoli HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTERS!

Today's message was presented by our Relief Society President, Megan. “Keys to Building the Kingdom-Guilt Free.

I have pondered and prayed about what to say today.

Can you relate to the following?

“Watching television the other night, I learned that as a woman there are several products I need to buy because my hair isn't shiny enough, my skin isn't smooth enough, I need to be thinner (that message is loud and clear), my floors aren't clean enough, my clothes aren't white enough, nor are my teeth, and my children just aren't happy enough! The message is that I need help because whatever I am doing, it could not possibly be good enough. No matter how hard I scrub my floors, or clean my teeth, I am never going to be perfect.”

Recently, I asked Bishop Edman what he would like me to talk about for this first Sunday lesson. We had a great discussion. At the end of our visit he said that he hoped for a “guilt-free Sunday” for the sisters in our ward today. Is it possible? I think it is.

Usually my husband will ask if there is anything thing he can help me with when I'm preparing lessons and I always say no. This time I asked him for some help and he was glad to help. I told him I needed a tool box and some tools. (She held up some tools, a hand drill, pvc cutter, circle bit, sledge hammer and a small tool) Each tool is different. Each took is designed to complete a certain task. Each tool is needed and each tool is important. But all tools are not needed at once.

I have been impressed that we should discuss three main points today. I welcome and encourage your thoughts, ideas, and participation.

She then wrote on the board:

Understand that you are blessed with USEFUL gifts and talents.

Our talents and gifts are like these tools, sisters. Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with these tools or gifts so that His kingdom can be built here on earth. We each have something unique and important to contribute tot he building process. It is so important that we come to know and accept the gifts that we have been given. It is also important that we don't compare the gifts that we've been given to the gifts and talents that have bee given to others.

Shanel read: Elder Jeffrey R. Holland teaches us: “Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have received? Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on another, then He surely must somehow be frowning on us? You and I both know who does this—it is the father of all lies. It is Lucifer, our common enemy, whose cry down through the corridors of time is always and to everyone, 'Give me thine honor.' As others seem to grow larger in our sight, we think we must therefore be smaller. So, unfortunately, we occasionally act that way.” (The Other Prodigal, Liahona, July 2002, 70-71)

A friend once spoke about different tools. He said, “You know, so many people wish they could be the sledge hammer in the tool box. Everyone seems to remember the sledge hammers.”

Sledge hammers are big. They can get a job done quickly. But, not every job requires the use of a sledge hammer. Some tasks require smaller tools of precision. Use of these tools can require patience and painstaking effort, yet they can produce amazing result. The end results are just as important.

My mom gave me this plaque. “We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.” I am so thankful to be surrounded by sister like you. Together we do have it all. I think of the talents that each of you have along with the sisters in Primary and Young Women. We shouldn't compare our gifts and talents with those of other. Collectively, we really do have it all.

I would like us again to think of Bishop Edman's counsel to us last month in the ward newsletter.

“Often as we meet and counsel together, listen to the words of the prophets, and focus on our own eternal progression, we tend to zero in on our weaknesses where we do not measure up to the standards taught. Indeed this is part of the plan of our Heavenly Father. We are told in Ether 12 that we are given weaknesses to make us humble and when we humble ourselves our weaknesses may become strengths.

However, as we look at our weaknesses, we should also remember to acknowledge our strengths or spiritual gifts from God. I find it interesting that in the very last chapter of the Book of Mormon after witnessing the destruction of his people because of complete wickedness and abominations, Moroni focuses on the gifts of the spirit and the goodness in all men. Verse 8 says, “And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given b the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.” Perhaps Moroni recognized that his own destroyed people needed to see their own gifts and talents to combat the wickedness around them. If all we ever see in ourselves is our weakness without acknowledging our strengths, we are in danger of giving in to discouragement.

I see in the members of our ward so many wonderful talents and gifts from God. In many I see a natural ability to have faith and believe. In others I see an amazing capacity to lift the downtrodden. I see some who have natural optimism who only seem to see the best in others. We have gifted teachers in our midst, and those who are able to learn and make the complex simple. We have those with innate wisdom to help us all make good decisions, those with a natural ability to administer and organize, and those with great sense of humor to lift our spirits. This is all in addition to the many talented musicians, artist, writers, and performer. Most of all I find friends who are able to love their neighbors as themselves as Christ taught.

As important as it is to recognize our weaknesses as Ether taught, it is just as important to recognize our talents and “deny not the gifts of God.” There is no greater joy than when we see our own gifts, acknowledge their source, and then use them to further His work in helping others. I hope that you will take a moment now and in the coming days to reflect upon your great gifts and how you may use them to bless others. If you have trouble seeing them in yourself, keep looking, ask a friend or family member, ask me, and most importantly ask our Heavenly Father. I promise you they are there and I promise you will find them and they will bring you great joy.”

Sometimes we mistake humility with weakness. Heavenly Father doesn't belittle us, but motivates us to improve. The key is humility and the spirit we use to evaluate our weaknesses.

Kailee P: I love the promise. I'm not saying it's not a process. It takes time. If we trust in the Lord, he'll make thing turn out for the best.

Tysha R: I have always struggled to put things in proper priorities. My patriarchal blessing tells me that I will help people put their priorities in order, but if I struggle with that how can I help others? I have to figure it out now because it a very short time, I will be reporting to the MTC. I am learning that because of that struggle, I will be able to help others.

Amy W: My patriarchal blessings tells me the same thing. I struggle too and am still learning about it. When I teach, if it's something I have had to deal with once as a weakness, and I have worked thru it then I find that I can serve better.

To serve effectively, to be a useful took in his hands. To see my strengths as the Lord sees them will help us be stronger. We then can serve more effectively. One of the most beautiful feeling to see that we can serve.

Lynette: If you are interviewing with a company for a job, they usually ask you what your weakness is. If you say something like I have a weakness in this particular area, but that weakness has helped me to be ….. It will show how you can turn your weakness into a strength.

Shanel: The natural man is impatient and wants to understand now. We have eternity to improve, but when we have a question we want an immediate answer. It is a process.

Back to the Bishop. Think of the sisters and their strength. I echo his comments.

Nichole L read: “The Church is not a place where perfect people gather to say perfect things, or have perfect thoughts, or have perfect feelings. The Church is a place where imperfect people gather to provide encouragement, support, and service to each other as we press on in our journey to return to our Heavenly Father.

Each one of us will travel a different road during this life. Each progresses at a different rate. Temptations that trouble your brother may not challenge you at all. Strengths that you possess may seem impossible to another.

Never look down on those who are less perfect than you. Don't be upset because someone can't sew as well as you, can't throw as well as you, can't row or hoe as well as you.

We are all children of our Heavenly Father. And we are here with the same purpose: to learn to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.” (Joseph B. Wirthlin, April 2005 Conference)

Francesca M: I played volley ball, but most of the girls were much better and I was belittled, told I wasn't any good. Than when I attended school in Italy, I played with girls who didn't know how to play and I was constantly telling them how to hold their hand to hit the ball. It was a constant battle to not get annoyed. We had the first game against a very experienced team and my girls sort of gave up. They were so down on themselves. So I told them that it was more important to have fun and once they decided to be happy, they improved. We did win a couple of games, and we had fun. It was a very important lesson I learned that year.

It is important to focus on our strengths. Remember to have an eternal prospective of things. Heavenly Father is in charge. Our efforts are worth while. Think back to our Ward Theme the year our ward was formed in 2007:

Mosiah 18:21 “

And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward wit one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.”

And now our 2011 Ward Theme

Luke 22:32

“But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren,”

It is my privilege to serve in the Lord's kingdom with Bishop Edman. I know that he was called by our Heavenly Father to lead the members of our ward. I know that Bishop Edman and his good counselors seek guidance from the Lord as they make decisions in our behalf. I know that the themes that were chosen were divinely inspired.

There have been quite a few sisters that have moved into our ward during the past year. For this reason, I wanted to talk again briefly about how “The Circled in Strength” theme for our RS came to be. Early in the morning of June 13^th last year, the day I was to be sustained as the RS president, the words to the 3^rd verse of the hymn “How Firm a Foundation” came to my mind.

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

I then had a vivid picture in my mind of the early pioneer saints circling their wagons at the close of each day in order to protect themselves from the very real and persistent dangers that existed. It was made clear to me that this is what our modern day focus in relief society needed to be – circling ourselves in the strength of the gospel and in the strength of relief society to protect each sister and her family from the dangers that exist in the world today.

Megan then wrote on the board:

Circle yourself in the strength of Relief Society

Sister Hinckley said, “We are all in this together. We need each other. Oh, how we need each other. Those of us who are old need you who are young. And, hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old. It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other. These friendships are a necessary source of sustenance. We need to renew our faith every day. We need to lock arms and help build the kingdom so that it will roll forth and fill the whole earth.” (Small and Simple Things, 133)

This does not mean we have to attend every RS activity or make a certain number of quilts. But it means to offer assistance when a sister ifs feeling down. Each of us is so important to Relief Society.

The third point:

Believe in miracles and know that Heavenly Father's love for you is real.

I have an experience that I would like to share with you about this.

I ran some errands with my kids Thursday morning. We went to three different places and I made purchases at some of our stops. We cam home and spent some wonderful times together outside enjoying the gorgeous summer day.

Later the next day, I needed my wallet for something, so I went to go get it. I checked the 2 or 3 spots where I usually keep my wallet and discovered it wasn't there. I spent the next 2 hours searching for my wallet in our car and throughout the house. I looked in the fridge, the pantry and even in the dryer. Nothing. I became increasingly concerned as the day progressed.

My daughter said “Mom. All you need to do is to say a prayer and then you will find it.” I appreciated her great faith and told her that I had already said a prayer, and I also told her that I would say another one. I asked everyone in the family to pray for help.

I tried to find some quiet pondering time to allow inspiration to come. But directions didn't come. I began checking online every half hour or so to see if someone was making unauthorized purchases on my debit or credit cards. I didn't see anything unusual.

In a panic, I drove to the last place we had been, even though I had already made a phone call. I asked the cashier at the store we stopped at earlier if my wallet had been found. The answer was the same that I had received on the phone, “no but if we find it,we will call you.”

I had one last hope. At our house, if anything goes missing, Steve can find it. He has fund things on numerous occasions when no one else could. I had an appointment Friday night, so I left wit the hope that my wallet would be waiting for me when I got home.

I cam home later that night. One of the first things I asked Steve when I got home was, “Where did you find it?” He looked puzzled and said, “Find what?” I said slowly, “My wallet?” “ didn't find your wallet. I'm so sorry.”

Needless to say, I didn't sleep well Friday night. I kept thinking of identity theft and all of the horrible things that could happen to me and to my family. Saturday came and I was physically and emotionally exhausted.

I was alone in our living room and I plopped down on a chair. I made a mental list of all of the places that I would have to call to cancel everything. I began to feel overwhelmed, so I closed my eyes and offered a very simple prayer: “Heavenly Father, please help me to know what I should do now.” I opened my eyes and turned my head to the left...and there I saw my wallet. I'm fairly confident it wasn't there when I sat down.

I quickly asked my kids if they had found the wallet and put it on the chair. “No, It wasn't me” No one in my family put the wallet on the chair. I have no idea where the wallet had been or how it got placed on the chair.

I was very emotional as I called Steve on the phone to tell him the good news. I will never forget what he said to me..”I believe in miracles. Heavenly Father loves you.”

Sister, I testify that His love for each one of us IS real. He is aware of every detail of our lives. I know that many of you are praying that Heavenly Father will remove some of the challenges that you face in your own lives of a more serious nature than that of a lost wallet. I know that many of you are hoping for miracles to happen.

In these times of uncertainty, I testify that great comfort will come to each one of us as we seek to understand, to appreciate, and to use the talents that we have been blessed with. We can receive immeasurable comfort as we circle in the strength of our relief society. As we do so, we can love one another, we can support one another, and we can appreciate our differences – guilt free.

Finally, I know that we can feel Heavenly Father's love through the miracle of the power of the atonement. This miracle of healing, cleansing, and comfort is available to each one of us, especially when we think all is lost. The atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ is truly the greatest miracle of all.

I am so thankful for each one of you and the opportunity that I have to be numbered among you.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

July 31, 2011

Another great Sabbath.

THOUGHT: “At times fasting is appropriate as a strong evidence of our sincerity....When we fast we humble our souls, which brings us more in tune with God and His holy purposes”. James E. Faust

ANOUNCEMENTS:

1. Temple Circle Group: Thursday Aug. 4^th at 10:00 am. Meet in the foyer. We will be doing initiatories.
2. Mommy Mingle Wednesday, Aug. 10^th at Alpine Splash Park off 100 South. Take Main St., then head east on 100 South. Questions? Jen Rutter 801-756-2818 or jenraerutter@hotmail.com
3. “Cooking Group” Thursday Aug 11^th from 7 – 8:30 pm at Steffanie Garces' home (1239 N 1100 E )
4. Single Adult FHE – Monday August 8the at 7:00 pm at the Stake Center. “What is My Purpose” by Bishop Matt and Sister Kim Court of the Mt. Mahogany 2^nd Ward.
5. Day of Service coming September 10^th from 8 – 12:00 noon. More info coming.

BIRTHDAYS: August 1^st Donna Larsen; August 4^th Sharon Backman and August 4^th Steffanie Garces. Happy Birthday sisters.

Today being the 5^th Sunday of the month, we met together, the priesthood and the RS, plus young men and young women.

The Bishop introduced the topic which is Optimism. I need it he said and I am trying to be more optimistic. It is easy to have self pity. There are hard things going on in our lives and it's OK to say that. To be honest about that. It is also easy to get caught up in our troubles. However, if we have the spirit of optimism, we can get through our trials. I have asked people to share how they get through their trials. We will start with Katherine Ellis, follow by Will Ingram, Lupe Lee and Jay Holmstead.

Katherine: I read an article “A Reason to Smile” by Elder Joe J. Christensen of the Seventy. The question we need to ask ourselves is Am I really a happy person? He talked about if we were asked to smile, some would have a big smile, some would barely turn up the corners of your mouth and some would probably wouldn't smile at all. It is a conscious choice.

He says that if right now or at any time in your life you are feeling down, discouraged, depressed--for whatever reasons—here is a very practical suggestion: Take a sheet of blank paper and write on it at random those things for which you most grateful. Write whatever your most important blessings are in whatever order they come to your mind. The things you most grateful for. Like prayer. Katherine realizes the blessings she has. Her favorite scripture is D&C 121:7-9

“My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.”

Elder Christensen asked how many times in the scriptures does the Lord command us to “be of good cheer” or “lift up your heart and rejoice” and “be exceedingly glad”? We should remember that happiness is a commandment and not merely a suggestion. There are bad days and hard times in our lives.

“A father is aboard an airplane on a short business trip. He has with him his five-year-old son and is almost wishing his son were not there because it is a very rough trip. There are downdrafts and head winds alternating with tailwinds, and some passengers are feeling a bit queasy. Apprehensively, the father glances at his son and finds him grinning from ear to ear. 'Dad,' he says, 'do they do this just to make it fun for the kinds?”

Our attitudes can change, that's the main thing. The gospel fills me with optimism. We can influence other even if just for a day. Be happy, stay positive and Smile.

Will: I didn't prepare as much as she did. I have been thinking of things that can express my happiness. It was a good time for the Bishop to call me as I have been at EFY (Especially for youth). When I am at my happiest is when I think of my friends. Making others happy makes me happy. I enjoy being among my friends. Being at EFY was the happiest for me. Friday, the last day, we all got in a circle and it felt very powerful. I am happy to be in the gospel. The gospel was taught to me by my mom, many principles, the Word of Wisdom, etc. I am happy to be in the gospel. I encourage you to be happy. Give service. Coming home on Saturday was great. Look for service opportunities.

Lupe: Bishop asked me to speak on optimism. I told my husband on the way home but by evening I had forgotten the subject matter. Luckily I remembered by the next morning. The dictionary says that the belief that good ultimately prevails over evil and the tendency to take the most hopeful view of matters. That's me.

In my younger years I used to believe that if I was obedient, Heavenly Father would not let me hurt. But I quickly found out that is not the case. I have since realized that I chose to come to earth and experience trials because I knew that a Savior would come. Am not sure I knew exactly what trials would come, but when I have found a trial unbearable and not want to have a part in it, I remember that the Savior also said, “Father, if thou be willing remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.” And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” I have discovered that Heavenly Father has given me tools to strengthen me. Those tools include the Holy Ghost, prayer, scriptures, church magazines, temple, family, friends, patriarchal blessings, hymns, and priesthood blessings.

I love the Book of Mormon, the first thing my husband and I do upon arising is read the Book of Mormon. The New Testament teaches me about the Savior, his life, atonement, but for me the Book of Mormon shows me how he works, how he can bless me now. In the Old testament, in 2 Kings, Elisha's servant awakes to see that the Syrian army with their horses and chariots had surrounded the city. In fear he says, “Alas my master! How shall we do? Elisha “answers, “Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” Elisha prayed “Lord, I pray thee open his eyes that he may see. The Lord opened his eyes and he saw: And, behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”

I believe that some of my horses and chariots of fire are my ancestors, descendents and people I have served in the temple. The Book of Mormon tells us to watch and pray. I have learned from the Book of Mormon that at times Heavenly rescues me, by blessing me with solutions as I ponder the situation, pretty much as he did the people of Limhi when Gideon comes up with a plan for escaping from the Lamanites. But most times, he make my burden light, strengthens me so I can bear my burden. And then he does his part. His grace takes over.

Helaman 5:12 “And now my sons, remember, remember, that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his T mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you; it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” It is easy to have a pity party, the only problem is that such a party invites party crashes and the first one to attend is Satan and his friends. Misery leads to misery and he wants us to be miserable and he is.

As a Seminary teacher, I remember a lesson where I was to draw three circles, labeled Satan, Me and God. The question was: of the three, who has more power? God of course, and then if we take God out of the equation, who has more power. Unfortunately, Satan does. I refuse to give Satan power over me. That's why I try to use all the tools Heavenly Father has given me. I have learned that I am not alone. My Savior prayed for me. In the Great Intercessory Prayer he prays for his apostle and then he says: “neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.” That's me. I believe on Him through their word.

And he still prays for me. “Listen to him who is the advocate with the father, who is pleading your cause before him”-----Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified. Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.” So how can I fail?

2 Nephi 25:23 “....by grace we are saved after all we can do.”

I feel that if I utilize the tools he has given me, especially prayer and scriptures, I have every right to plea for his grace. After all I can do. I received an E-mail this week and would like to share the last part. “Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.” And I do.

Jay: Optimism came to me for which I am very thankful I ask for the spirit. Bishop wanted me to give a message about being optimistic. When he asked me, I wondered if it was because I had learned the lessons or maybe he thought I had no clue yet. If someone asked my wife and kids about my optimism, what would they say? I thought about what one of my children told me at one of our get together. Dad, you are getting grumpy the older you get.

The Savior said that man must have joy. We hear it from our leaders, they want us to be happy. I believe that with all my heart. When I think of my experiences growing up with my parents, I think of the great example they set about being optimistic. I remember when I was a young boy, the phone rang and we found out that dad had been in an accident and they thought he might not make it. I was about seven years old. When mom got to the parking lot, she looked for his car, even though the car was all smashed up. That's how optimistic she was, looking for his car, as if he had driven it there. We met in the Emergency Room where dad got a blessing. Don't worry about dad, he'll be fine.

I have a Ward Basketball story. I say to my girls that before they marry someone, they need to watch him play ward basketball. They will learn a lot about his temper and how he acts or reacts. As a young man I was really into sports. I remember being about 12 years old and was at a game of ward basketball. There was a disagreement among some of the players. Nothing really bad, but a strong disagreement. My dad asked me afterward: what did I think about the disagreement? It was not good. It was a great teaching moment and I decided then that I would not act like that. I'm always trying to do better.

When I was in 9^th grade, I was with my friends and I had an accident, I cut my big toe in a boating accident. My friends got me in the car and drove me to the hospital. There they called my house and told my mother that I was in the emergency room and something about an amputation. When she got there, she was just so relief that it was just my big toe. Mom said, Oh, it'll grow back. Mom and Dad were good examples of optimism. They could take something bad and turn it into good.

There is a space between stimulus and response. It gives us just enough time to decide how we are going to react. It's not very long, just a few seconds. It's different for all of us. It's a challenge we have when we have to face, in the middle of that space. Ask what Jesus would do, my mom or dad would do in that situation.

I am blessed with the power of prayer. Goes along with that 'space'. What's happening and what to do about it. Remember to say silent prayers when we don't know the answer or what to do. In closing I want to share a poem with you.

Two frogs fell in a deep cream bowl, The one was an optimistic soul but the other – He took the gloomy view. “We shall drown” he cried without more adieu So with a last despairing cry He flung up his legs and said “Good-by”

The other frog with a merry grin “I can't get out, But I won't give in. I'll just swim around till my strength is spent Then will I die the more content”

Bravely he swam till it would seem His struggles began to churn the cream On top of the butter at last he stopped and out of the bowl he gaily hopped.

What of the Moral? Tis easily found If you can't hop out, keep swimming around.

Heavenly Father sends us exactly what we need. Don't fight the curriculum. Sometimes answers are not what we want, but we ask for the truth and sometimes we aren't ready for that.

Bishop Edman: I just want to share some thoughts with you. A couple of weeks ago I went with the teachers and priests to Zion National Park. We had to hike 9 miles. The hike was sort of divided into 3 mile segments. We had to go through a canyon, swim across water to finally get to the fun part. The first 3 miles was the hardest. We were not in the canyon, there was sunshine, so it was warm, then hot. It was hard to find the canyon. The information that we had gotten from the internet wasn't very helpful. There were two pages of descriptions. Something to the effect of 'if you see a certain whatever, you'll know you're on the right path. If you turn the wrong way, you'll fall over a 30 foot cliff. We certainly hoped that nobody would fall over that cliff.

Bishop stacked some rocks on top of each other. He told us that someone had put piles of rocks along the way, along the path they were to go. They followed the path and whenever they saw this pile of rocks, they knew they were on the right path. Sometimes, they wouldn't see the rocks for a while, so they would backtrack, go off until they saw the rocks. After a while they felt a sense of relief whenever they came upon the rocks because they knew they were on the path.

This is an example of optimism in life, when we see the pile of rocks. It teaches us that this is the time, the place, the exact right place and right time where we need to be. It may not be what we like, but if we know that the Lord is there, that He is in charge, then we know that we are on the path. It is at this time (when we are experiencing trials) that we recognize and remember talks, scriptures, the tender mercies of the Lord. It's the way the Lord says to us, You know I'm here. The more we look, the more we will find. It is easy to miss, but if we look we will find we are on the path. It is the right place, the right time. Look for the piles of rocks because the Lord put them there.

Have a wonderful week. And remember, optimism is the word.

July 24, 2011

Hi sisters, another Sabbath, another week.

THOUGHT: “The Savior is not a silent observer. He Himself knows personally and infinitely the pain we face. “He suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children.” “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”.

Elder Kent F Richards

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Tuesday July 26^th, at 7:30 pm is the Genealogy Circle Group. They will meet at Sarah's home.
2. Thursday, August 4^th at 10:00 am is the Temple Circle Group. They will be doing initiatories.
3. There is another Stake Blood Drive. Contact Brother Moon for details.
4. We have a Cannery Assignment on August 18^th. More information will be forthcoming.
5. BYU Education Week in August 15^th – 19^th.

Thank you for your support on Thursday for our Circle in Friendship Activity. The food was so good and the friendship so rewarding.

Today's lesson was given by Darla Cox, taken from Elder Richard G Scott conference talk “The Eternal Blessings of Marriage. (April conference)

Sisters, the Sacrament Music number was great. We truly have a lot of talent in our ward. And the Laurels are here.

The Eternal Blessings of Marriage by Elder Richard G. Scott.

One interesting thing about his talk is that there aren't any scriptural references given. It'd like he wanted to share about eternal marriage from his heart. His wife Jeanene had a short bout with cancer and passed away at the age of 65. They lost two children, their son Richard and daughter Andrea.

As I thought about this lesson, I decided that I would go all out for this lesson. I would make this beautiful arrangement. I bought flowers, ribbon, tulle, but it never came together. So instead I brought this (huge engagement play) ring, because I thought, it's not about the world, but about the spiritual. So I decided that we would set the world aside and talk about eternal things. There was a woman at the store who was buying a lot of things. I told her that I could tell she was having this great project. I have a lesson to teach, she said. I mentioned that I too had a lesson to teach and she asked me what lesson was about and I told her. She mentioned that she had taught that lesson also and a sister had walked out because she had felt a lot of pain. So I'm forewarning you sisters about it. The blessings of eternal marriage is there. Last week Sister Amy Waldron talked about Family Responsibilities and how marriage is part of it. How if we teach his standard and give it all we can, how his grace is sufficient.

Robby: Not one of us has an ideal marriage or ideal family. Don't say you don't have an ideal family. We have the gospel and that helps us work toward ideal relationships.

Thank you Robby. One day we'll all get there. Due to our experiences in life, we need to be thoughtful and give respect to all. Discussion will be about the eternal blessings of eternal marriage.

Elder Scott: “Two of the vital pillars that sustain Father in Heaven's plan of happiness are marriage and the family. Their lofty significance is underscored by Satan's relentless efforts to splinter the family and to undermine the significance of temple ordinances, which bind the family together for eternity. The temple sealing has greater meaning as life unfolds. It will help you draw ever closer together and find greater joy and fulfillment in mortality.”

He tells of how he learned an important lesson from his wife. “I traveled extensively in my profession. I had been gone almost two weeks and returned home one Saturday morning. I had four hours before I needed to attend another meeting. I noticed that our little washing machine had broken down and my wife was washing the clothes by hand. I began to fix the machine. Jeanene came by and said, “Rich, what are you doing?” I said, “I'm repairing the washing machine so you don't have to do this by hand.” She said, “No. Go play with the children.” I said, “I can play with the children anytime. I want to help you.” Then she said, “Richard, please go play with the children.” When she spoke tome that authoritatively, I obeyed. I had a marvelous time with our children. We chased each other around and rolled in the fall leaves. Later I went to my meeting. I probably would have forgotten that experience were it not for the lesson that she wanted me to learn. The next morning about 4:00 am., I was awakened as I felt two little arms around my neck, a kiss on the cheek and these words whispered in my ear, which I will never forget: “Dad, I love you. You are my best friend.” If you are having that kind of experience in your family, you are having one of the supernal joys of life.”

And Robby thanks for that commend. As I read this, I thought that maybe I was missing the boat. But as I picked Levi up after the Scout trip, we never went home right away. We rode and visited for about one hour. We talked about the trip and he was finally able to talk about his successes of the trip. I had supernal joy.

Amy R: The same with my family. One of my boys went into the kitchen where his dad was and picked him up and twirled him around and said, “Dad, I missed you. I don't know what I would do without you.”

Diana I: After I came home from EFY, my mom and I went for drinks, just driving around. It was nice talk to my mom.

I'm sure it was joyful for you and for your mom too.

Kaelie P: Elder Scott's wife had a grasp on her priorities. I'm trying to focus on the eternal theme of marriage. On the things that are most precious.

I put so much effort on the exterior things when I got married then on the actually wedding ceremony. I can probably remember the flower arrangements, but can't really tell you what the sealer said.

Elder Scott has other precious stories and then goes on about the trend that is going on these days.

“If you are a young man of appropriate age and are not married, don't waste time in idle pursuits. Get on with life and focus on getting married. Don't just coast through this period of life. Young men, serve a worthy mission. Then make your highest priority finding a worthy, eternal companion. When you find you are developing an interest in a young woman, show her that you are an exceptional person that she would find interesting to know better. Take her to places that are worthwhile. Show some ingenuity. If you want to have a wonderful wife, you need to have her see you as a wonderful man and prospective husband.”

Sounds very basic to me.

“If you have found someone, you can form an extraordinarily wonderful courtship and marriage and be very, very happy eternally by staying within the bounds of worthiness that Lord has established.”

Amy W: I am so glad that I am not 25 years old. My brother-in-law is a Bishop of a BYU Singles Ward. He says that the Church has done a great job encouraging Group dates, but we're not doing so great on couple dating after serving a mission. Nobody is choosing.

Kaelie P: part of that talk made me giggle. I found myself thinking, a few weeks ago, that I am getting married and it seems that everyone is also getting married. It was brought to life to me that each marriage is unique. Every single marriage that will happen on my day is precious to Heavenly Father. I dated many boys, but when I heard this talk with my Jared, I was so touched with his effort to try so hard to be that man I want him to be. I also want to be that woman for him. We want to give the best of our selves.

That's my concern also. At work, there is a woman who came in and said that she was leaving her husband. That she was upset at his behaviors. That she had given up and that something had changed. As she left the room I said to a 20 year old young woman who had been listening, “don't listen to everything you hear. Marriage can be what you and he choose.” Say the reverse: “say, you can do it. Know who you are marrying. Bring the Lord into it. You can have a successful marriage.”

Pat H: We can know each other only to a point. Until you live with them for awhile. Illness, accidents, etc comes along. Things that you don't count on happening. Everything else takes second place to commitment and temple vows. We are in it for eternity. Mortality can be very difficult. Know what your vows and commitment mean. Love is never as important as respect.

Janet T: Choose your love and love your choice.

Lynette V: Know who you marry. Learn as much as you can about a person. It's about preparation. Prepare properly.

Yes, you also have to be the person to attract the right person.

Mikaela M: My Institute instructor said that we need to have faith that you will find the right person at the right place.

Robby B: Young people don't get to know each other. It's about talking, simple basic things. Forget movies. You can't talk there. Talk. Talk, Talk.

He goes on to tell how selfless she was. “Jeanene's kindness taught me so many valuable things. I was so immature, and she was so disciplined and so spiritual. Marriage provides an ideal setting for overcoming any tendency to be selfish or self-centered. I think one of the reasons that we are counseled to get married early in life is to avoid developing inappropriate character traits that are hard to change. I feel sorry for any man who hasn't yet made the choice to seek an eternal companion, and my heart weeps for the sisters who haven't had the opportunity to marry. Some of you may feel lonely and unappreciated and cannot see how it will be possible for you to have the blessings of marriage and children or your own family. All things are possible to the Lord, and He keeps the promises He inspires His prophets to declare. Eternity is a long time. Have faith in those promises and live to be worthy of them so that in His time the Lord can make them come true in your life. With certainty, you will receive every promised blessing for which you are worthy.”

Elder Scott talks about Jeanene some more:

“I remember one year we didn't have the resources for me to give her a valentine, so I decided to paint a watercolor on the front of the refrigerator. I did the best I could; only I made one mistake. It was enamel paint, not watercolor. She never let me try to remove that permanent paint from the refrigerator.”

“I learned from my wife the importance of expressions of love. Early in our marriage, often I would open my scriptures to give a message in a meeting, and I would find an affectionate, supportive note Jeanene had slipped into the pages. Sometimes they were so tender that I could hardly talk. Those precious notes from a loving wife were and continue to be a priceless treasure of comfort and inspiration.”

“I remember one day I took some of those little round paper circles that form when you punch holes in paper, and I wrote on them the numbers 1 to 100. I turned each over and wrote her a message, one work on each circle. Then I scooped them up and put them in an envelope. I thought she would get a good laugh. When she passed away, I found in her private things how much she appreciated the simple messages that we shared with each other. I noted that she had carefully pasted every one of those circles on a piece of paper. She not only kept my notes to her, but she protected them with plastic coverings as if they were a valuable treasure. There is only one that she didn't put with the others. It is still behind the glass in our kitchen clock. It reads, “Jeanene, it is time to tell you I love you.” it remains there and reminds me of that exceptional daughter of Father in Heaven.”

He ends his talk with these words:

“I know what it is to love a daughter of Father in Heaven who with grace and devotion lived the full feminine splendor of her righteous womanhood. I am confident that when, in our future, I see her again beyond the veil, we will recognize that we have become even more deeply in love. We will appreciate each other even more, having spent this time separated by the veil. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

My challenge to you is to work things out with the Lord. This is the Lord's designed plan.

Remember that next Sunday is a fifth Sunday and we will meet together with the men. Have a great week and remember the Lord's grace after all we can do. We love you, sisters.

July 17, 2011 

Good evening sisters. Hope you are having a great Sabbath.

THOUGHT: “We must not be indifferent to wickedness in society, because destruction awaits nations that choose unrighteousness.” Elder Neal A. Maxwell

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.     Circle in Friendship activity on Thursday, the 21^st at 6:30 pm at Megan Duckworth's home. Bring a chair and whatever you signed up for and enjoy the evening visiting with one another.

2.     Genealogy Circle Group, July 26^th at Sarah Heiner's home.

3.     Stake Blood Drive on August 13^th from 8 – 1 pm.

Today's lesson was presented by Amy Waldron and it's lesson 37 “Family Responsibilities”

On the board “...WE KNOW THAT IS IS BY GRACE THAT WE ARE SAVED, AFTER ALL WE CAN DO

We have a few items to cover before we move on with the lesson. On page 213 of the manual, the footnote says: “...be sensitive to the feelings of those who do not have ideal situations at home. Emphasize that with guidance from the Lord and help from family members and the Church, single parents can successfully raise their children.” Are single parents the only ones who have non-ideal situations at home? I don't know about you, but I feel that very few of us really have an ideal situation in our homes. I have made a list and at the end of the list see you don't fit into the list.

Single parent

Divorce parent

a parent died young

remarried

blended family

an inactive parent

an inactive spouse

non-member parent

non-member spouse

both parents dead

traumatic situations

We need to remember that our kids aren't perfect. You are not perfect. Do any of these apply to you or do none apply to you?

Someone asked if we got points for how many did.

My concern is does the Lord's plan apply to us? Here's a thought! “There is nothing we can do to change other people's choices in the past or in the future. Likewise we (nagging doesn't do that?) cannot change our own past mistakes.” What's the purpose of our lesson? We can only repent and make good decisions for ourselves.

True? Yes, it's true.

The lesson is about this: Family Responsibility. If our parents had learned that, maybe our lives would be different. An example from my life. When I was a child, I used to hate the song “Families can be together forever”. It would make me very angry to hear it. Even though every word is true, all true, every word. I have a family here on earth, they are so good to me, I want to share my life with them, through all eternity. Families can be together forever, through Heavenly Father's plan. I always want to be with my own family, And the Lord has shown me how I can. The Lord as shown me how I can. My father was not and still is not a member of the Church, so we were not sealed together as a family. I remember as a child singing the song and saying to myself that the song didn't apply to me. It made me angry. It was not fair. I feel the same way about “Love at Home”, the cottage business. However, my understanding has increased. It's about how mulch faith you have.

The things I have learned are that God knows me, knows our souls, and that the Atonement heals. There are ways that we hid that hurt from others. We can hurt, but cannot blame others for it. God placed us in a family, in a way that will make sense. We'll agree one day with him. It was designed not for perfect looking families only, for imperfect families to become better.

I went with my father to a family reunion in Arkansas. I still have moments to remember the feeling of being surround by family members who aren't members of the Church. How they took their smoke breaks. It was a different scene. I love these people. My sister and I have the blessing, because of where we were born, to baptize all of these people. To do Temple work for them. I thought of the pain of my youth. My father is a good and kind man and I will baptize him as soon as I can after he is gone. He knows that. I have told him so. I bet I volunteered for this. I believe it applies to other situations.

I have a friend who had a physically abusive childhood. She told me the story of when she was seven years old. One day her father called her and whatever she was doing, she didn't hear him right away. When she finally heard him, as she was coming down the stairs, he grabbed her hair and bang her head against the stairs. She said that when that happened that one time, she could hear God talking to her. It was like having an out of body experience. It felt like there was a pillow between her head and the stairs. She didn't hurt at all. She felt that God would always be there for her. She is so calm and positive about that assurance. Will there be lasting pain after the Atonement? She will be healed. She knows that God will be nearby.

Lynette: I appreciate the story. I always hope that Heavenly Father will protect the little ones. Whenever I hear about abuses on little ones, I wonder and wish and pray that He will comfort them.

I you had a non-ideal experience, there's a thought. Consider what it took me to finally have understanding. I was 40 years old when I finally understood and doesn't hurt like it did when I was young.

What is God's plan for families? The family is ordained of God. What did God decide to do with these little spirits? To send them as little bodies, helpless. Their minds not remembering anything. Completely untrained. Their spirits come with gifts without the body and mind trained They are sensitive to early training, their minds and bodies. He would like them to come into homes with a mom and a dad, who are married. Why? For Stability. For commitment. It is important for people to be in a home where there is commitment. It is a great plan. Baby has a mom and a dad, grandmothers and grandpas to take care of the baby. And the plan continues.

Why: It is a perfect plan even if it is not an ideal situation. We need to figure our part in this perfect plan. Now we can move on to the lesson material besides the footnote.

Family Responsibilities. Take a moment and think of the purpose of the list. We're looking at the handout. Do we feel hopeless, that we have made too many mistakes when we look at the list. There is nothing we can do to change that. How about the future? We can come up with better ways to fulfill the plan.

Look at Children on the handout. What is the question? Sharing responsibility seems simple but is difficult. When we decide to help each other, we feel better. This applies to all, even adult parents.

Janet T: It should apply to whole families. To cooperate with other family member. I have a friend that all her family goes to Ogden to do their mother's yard because she is in her 90”s. It is a beautiful thing when family cooperate together.

Thank you Janet, What else is working with you?

“We all have a dance and do the dance together in a family. When someone decides to change her personal dance, the other in the family don't like it. They are so used to the dance and change doesn't feel good. However, if you persist in changing your dance, eventually they will too.”

So you can change your dance.

Karen G: Sometimes, you just have to remove yourself from that situation. Eric comes from a very ill family, mentally. When his mother died a few weeks ago, people would say how sorry they were, but he felt that she was in a much better place. Sometimes the dance doesn't change.

I don't know your baggage. What you and Eric can do is to remove yourselves, but still be loving and kind. Sometimes we cannot work that way. There is hurt on your husband. You can do it in a loving way. If you are upset and still hurt by a situation, you can change and adjust. There is good and bad ways of doing things that we feel are necessary. You need to keep yourselves safe.

Megan: The scriptures are full of dysfunctional families. Our will is the only thing we can offer. We don't have to be a victim. Christ paid the price so we can move forward.

The spirit helps us. My work with people in domestic violence has taught me that there are game changers.

Lynette: I have heard people say that sometimes all you have to do is read the scriptures. I came from a family of 7 children and I'm the only active one. When we get together, they are never mean about it, but they do tease me. I have been in other situations where people can't stand each other, no matter what you do.

What's the Rule? The Atonement will hit all of those things. It will be fixed.

Janet: We all deal with it in different ways. The only thing that hurts worse is the looks I get from my friends. But they haven't walked in my shoes, not just for a day, but the whole way.

Looking at the list, the box under blessings are blank. The manual doesn't give us any answer, so the challenge is for you to find out what the blessings are.

2Nephi 25:21-22”Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never perish as long as the earth should stand.

Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words which are written.

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”

The purpose for all of these, why we are talking to our children, has a lot to do with families. When we kneel to pray, we feel things can be better. God's message is 'you can do it.'

When you have done all you can do, trust that God and his grace will take care of that. God lives.

Next week's lesson if from the April Conference talk The Eternal Blessings of Marriage by Elder Richard G Scott.

June 26, 2011

THOUGHT: “My life cannot implement in action the demands of all the people to whom my heart responds.” Anne Morrow Lindberg

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.     Join us for our “Sewing Group” this Tuesday, June 18^th from 7 – 8:30 pm at Kay Johnson's House. If it's mending or a big project, Petra Chou will be our “sewing expert” to help us start & complete any sewing task. Humanitarian work will be available too. Refreshments will be served! See you Tuesday night

2.     Mommy Mingle, Wednesday July 15^th, 11:00 am Highland Splash Pad. Questions? Contact Jen Rutter. jenraerutter@hotmail.com or 801 – 756-2818

BIRTHDAYS: Candice C. June 27^th, and Linda Winder, June 29^th. Happy Birthday, Sisters.

Today's lesson was presented by Darla C., and was taken from the April Conference talk by Elder D. Todd Christofferson “As Many as I love, I Rebuke and Chasten”.

I want to thank Sister Backman for her wonderful greeting. A smile, a hug, but a joy to behold. Today's talk is by Elder Christofferson. He has such a peaceful, beautiful countenance, very refined, and such a great example. This morning I choose to approach the lesson with the Laurels in mind. They will be asking the questions and be using the scriptures.

Question number 1: Elizabeth G: What does God expect of us in relation to Heavenly Father and the Savior? What provision has He made for us?

Answer: “Our Heavenly Father is a God of high expectations. His expectations for us are expressed by His Son, Jesus Christ, in these words. “I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect” (3 Nephi 12:48)

With Christ all things are possible.

Elizabeth how is Elder Christofferson related to you? He is my mother's uncle.

Question number 2: What is God's purpose and how does the gospel help us achieve that purpose?

Answer: “He proposes to make us holy so that we may “abide a celestial glory” (D&C 88:22) and “dwell in his presence” (Moses 6:57). He knows what is required, and so, to make our transformation possible, He provides His commandments and covenants, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and most important, the Atonement and Resurrection of His Beloved Son.”

Question number 3: Diane I.: What does God ask of us?

Answer: “In all of this, God's purpose is that we, His children, may be able to experience ultimate joy, to be with Him eternally, and to become even as He is. Some years ago Elder Dallin H. Oaks explained: “The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become.

It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel , ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account.

He wants us to become more like Him.

“Sadly, mulch of modern Christianity does not acknowledge that God makes any real demands on those who believe in Him, seeing Him rather as a butler “who meets their needs when summoned” or a therapist whose role is to help people “feel good about themselves,” It is a religious outlook that “makes no pretense at changing lives.” “By contrast, as one author declares, “the God portrayed in both the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures asks, not just for commitment, but for our very lives.”

Question number 4: Whitney M. What attitude or practice do we need to meet our Heavenly Father's high expectations?

Answer: “I would like to speak of one particular attitude and practice we need to adopt if we are to meet our Heavenly Father's high expectations. It is this: willingly to accept and even seek correction. Correction is vital if we would conform our lives “unto a perfect man, (that is) unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13) Paul said of divine correction or chastening, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” (Hebrews 12:6). Though it is often difficult to endure, truly we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct.”

Divine chastening has to lease three purposes: (1) to persuade us to repent, (2) to refine and sanctify us, and (3) at times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path.

First: To persuade us to repent.

(Revelation 3:19) “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” and Again he said, “And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer” (D&C 105:6)

“The fruit of God's chastisement is repentance leading to righteousness”.

Second: To Refine and Sanctify Us

Said the Lord, “My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom” )D&C 136;31)

“In another place He said, “For all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified”. Elder Paul V. Johnson said that we should take care not to resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature.”

Janet T: I have a question that no one has been able to answer: I don't understand God's love. He loves us more than we can comprehend. He is more merciful than we can comprehend. But he chastises us more. It doesn't seem to come together.

He wants us to be the same as he. Our challenge is to ask for correction.

Megan' mom: (a visitor) Heavenly Father's love is closely connected to Agency. When we understand Agency, we will understand is Love. He won't force us and He loves us to pick the right path. Through trials and tribulations He will help us to get on the right track. He gives us commandments because He loves us.

Lynette: We won't be tried without having pressure. Our attitude will determine whether we will be humble or will balk. We can take the 'poor me' attitude. Trials forces us to grow, how we handle things. We couldn't grow without them.

Janet T: If I always make the wrong choice, can I get back on the right path?

Francesca: That's the reason He is called Heavenly Father. Just like parents step in when they need to, when they see their child in danger, that's how Heavenly Father is. The key word is Father. My Father would do anything for me, to protect me. Heavenly Father has the same love. He is the Father of all fathers.

Young Sister Pellegrini: He knows us so well, that we are human. We can learn from our mistakes as much as we can learn from our successes. This is a preparatory school. Sometimes I learn best from my mistakes.

Karen G: I have a 24 year old daughter who has made some hard choices that has cause her pain. As a parent, I sit and watch her. I love and support her. At one point she asked me a question. So I told her this is what I see. If you make this choice, it will bring pain. It was a form of chastisement. I know better as a parent of the struggle that she will have to endure from those choices. I want her to feel that I still love her. You know your child. You're the parent. She didn't talk to me for two weeks. She'll wake up someday. She will walk one hard road. Just like there is Mt. St. Helen and you choose Mt Everest.

“Parents can and must correct, even chasten, if their children are not to be cast adrift at the mercy of a merciless adversary and his supporters. President Boyd K. Packer has observed that when a person in a position to correct another fails to do so, he is thinking of himself. Remember that reproof should be timely, with sharpness or clarity, “when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy” (D&C 121:43)

Karen G: I needed to say those things.

Pat H: We have to be careful and not always associate chastisement with bad choices. Job was called a perfect man and he did not make wrong choices. He was being tried. Sometimes we do all we can do and the more righteous the greater the chastisement. We are told that if we attend the Temple, our children will be blessed and that is not always the case. Those kind of things happen. It's proof that the Lord wants us to be more like him.

Lupe: Sometimes I think that the Lord wants us to be more humble and depend of Him instead of ourselves. It helps us develop a closer relationship to Him.

My thoughts go to an individual woman that I observe. She accepted a calling in a most untimely period of her life. Her plate was heap to the top already. How does she do it, I asked myself. What is she getting out of it. She worked for little praise. She was fulfilling her responsibility. Her relationship with the Lord is something I do not have. I haven't caught the vision that she has. I look up to her, I admire her and maybe if the Lord will chasten me, I can become more like her. She's going on nothing but her faith and her spirit. She has a relationship with the Lord and he is her companion.

Karen M: I want to share a personal experience. Sometimes we are tested to see if we will obey. I had a really bad back on Friday but that is my Temple day and I really wanted to go. Milt kept telling me that I would not be able to withstand the pain if I went. We talked about doing sealings instead, but I wanted to go through a session. I could hardly walk, but decided to go anyway. I felt that I would be blessed, and I was, I had no pain through the session and even up to today.

I know that even if you had experience pain it wouldn't alter your faith.

Third: At times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path.

President Hugh B. Brown, formerly a member of the Twelve and a counselor in the First Presidency,provided a personal experience. He told of purchasing a rundown farm, in Canada. While cleaning up, he came across a currant bush that had grown over six feet tall and was bearing no berries, so he pruned it back drastically, leaving only small stumps. Then he saw a drop like a tear on the top of each of these little stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and thought he head it say:

“How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth.... And now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me....How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”

President Brown replied, “Look little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn't intend yo to be a fruit free or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, “Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut em down.”

Years later, President Brown was afield officer in the Canadian Army serving in England. When a superior officer became a battle casualty, President Brown was in line to be promoted to general, and he was summoned to London. But even though he was fully qualified for the promotion, it was denied him because he was a Mormon. The commanding general said in essence, “You deserve the appointment, but I cannot give it to you.” What President Brown had spent 10years hoping, praying, and preparing for slipped through his fingers in that moment because of blatant discrimination. Continuing his story, President Brown remembered:

“I got on the train and started back...with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul...When I got to my tent...I threw my cap on the cot. I clenched my fists, and I shook them at heaven. I said, “How could you do this to me, God? I have done everything I could do to measure up. There is nothing that I could have done—that I should have done—that I haven't done. How could you do this to me? I was as bitter as gall.

“And then I heard a voice, and I recognized the tone of this voice. It was my won voice, and the voice said, “I am the gardener here. I know what I want you to do'. The bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness.

An now, almost 50 years later, I look up to (God) and say, 'Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me.”

God knew what Hugh B. Brown was to become and what was needed for that to happen, and He redirected his course to prepare him for the holy apostleship.

If we sincerely desire and strive to measure up to the high expectations of our Heavenly Father, He will ensure that we receive all the help we need, whether it be comforting, strengthening, or chastening. If we are open to it, needed correction will come in many forms and from many sources. It may come in the course of our prayers as God speaks to our mind and heart, through the Holy Ghost. It may come in the form of prayers that are answered no or differently than we had expected. Chastening may come as we study the scriptures and are reminded of deficiencies, disobedience or simply matters neglected.

Thank you so much for the discussion. Thank you Laurels for your participation. I know that He loves us.

Have a great week sisters.


June 19, 2011

Good evening sisters, hope the men in your lives had a wonderful Father's Day.

THOUGHT: “The Atonement has practical, personal, everyday value; apply it in your life. It can be activated with so simple a beginning as prayer. You will not thereafter be free from trouble and mistakes but can erase the guilt through repentance and be at peace.”

President Boyd K. Packer

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Thank you to Janet Thwaits for the Father's Day Gift.

2.     Thank you sisters for your understanding with the cancellation of the Interviews.

3.     The Circle Sewing Group will be next Tuesday, June 28^th at 7 – 8 PM at Kay Johnson's home. Bring whatever you are working on. More details to come.

BIRTHDAYS: June 18 – Haley Holmstead,

Today's lesson was presented by Amy Waldron on “Obedience”

Well, I was waiting for the table cloth, but they forgot the key to the cabinet. I did bring some extra scriptures. How many of you have the moral courage to carry anything heavy? I have put this thing on the board, but we'll fill it out later. I have put two black lines on the board, have narrowed it down to two items that have anything to do with today's lesson which is Obedience. The first one is Agency and the second one is Accountability.

Agency and obedience is for pondering. They're linked intimately and is fascinating to hear. I feel compelled to bear testimony at the start of this lesson. How did I come to gain a testimony on obedience. I lived in California and was about 10 years old and had to have accountability for me. I feel that the ages between 10 and 15 if the first time that you really get to choose. Those few years after the age of 8, when you began to be accountable, when you really start to think more of your choices. Until this age you tend to look at your parents for choices, but you're a little bigger now. I am grateful for parents do have done all the work before. Now the Gospel of Jesus Christ begins to come alive.

The ages of 10 – 15, consider the power you have at that age, and the power they're beginning to wield. I can point to the time between those ages. Teachers can have such an influence.

My mom didn't talk about the gospel in our home because she didn't want to offend my father who is not a member. I was a daddy's girl and to him the Sabbath was for game watching. I would sit next to him and watch all the sports. My mom used to say that she was raising girls who would know how to impress husbands. I remember a Sunday School lesson which was held outside, you know, with all the distractions of traffic. She taught about the Sabbath. She told the story of a man who was given 7 pieces of gold. I thought that she had mixed up the story, that it should have been 10 pieces of gold and the lesson was on tithing. I was so glad that I waited and didn't say anything because as it turned out, it was about the Sabbath. She said that the person who gave the pieces of gold wanted one back, but the man didn't want to give it back. She compared this to the Lord who gives us everything but all he wanted was one day back. She talked about worship. I thought about my dad and my Sunday routine with him. I went home and tried to keep the Sabbath. It has been a blessing to me ever since.

You try to obey, and may not be quite perfect, but it feels good. It did to me and I did it anyway. I tr to be obedient and feel great. I have a testimony on obedience. When I am confused, feel troubled, or just don't know what to do, obedience brings blessings. Obedience is the greatest gift and promise that we can tap into. When Paul was in Afghanistan, I needed help from the Lord. He taught me that when I am looking for new information, that the answers come in renew obedience. There is always something more that we can learn. When I renewed my obedience to the basics: scripture reading and prayer, the answers came. So the answers came to me as I renewed my obedience.

Obedience is something where we are not sure where God is in our lives. There is power in obedience. We can receive all the answers and have peace simply by obeying the commandments. It brings great power into our lives. We can always depend on that. D&C 82:10 “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; gut when ye do ot what I say, ye have no promise.” When we obey any of the commandments, he is bound to help us.

As I prepared for today's lesson , I thought of each of you sisters. I try to avoid the suggestion at the bottom of the lesson, because I think I have to do thing differently. How I made it through the teen years, I'll never know. My favorite quote on obedience comes from Benson, even though he isn't mentioned in the lesson.

“When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.” President Ezra T. Benson

Megan: Being obedient is like putting oil in our lamp. We can endure difficult things.

Robby: Long time ago when I jointed the Church, I had a Sunday School teacher and obedience was her passion. She called it the Big “O”. When I teach primary I talk about the “O”. If we are obedient to anything, it becomes natural, easy to do. It makes it easy to do this, and this, and this. If we are always saying,”oh no, I have to do this”, then we will miss the point. Guy and I were talking about the lesson and it is really not hared to be obedient. Some elements are hard, like forgiveness, but I'm not like that. Forgiveness is not hard for me.

Is obedience an irritant?

Sally J: I think of Steve, he is so obedient, if he is told to hold FHE, he'll do it because the Lord told us. I'm more like, tell me why, and why not. My quest is to obey, but I like to have a balance, because I desire a positive outcome.

My parents never said 'cause I am your mother, or I am your father'. Why can be an important question, and it can be given in a loving way. Heavenly Father does say 'I am your Father', but he does it in a loving way. Paul's parents didn't want to say 'why', but he needs to understand. It's tricky to have balance.

Janet T: My life has been like putting a square peg into a round hole. I come from a family of alcoholics. And even though I have never taken a drink, I have wondered what it would be like to have a drink. My sister smoked and I would think how nice it would be to be thin. But all this has made me more diligent in being obedient. I have gained power from that. Have gained power in knowing what I can do.

Lupe: The Book of Mormon talks about the grace of God after all we can do. I thing that applies to what Janet is saying.

Melissa B: Heavenly Father knows the reason for asking us to be obedient. I asked you to do this...because I want you to be safe and gain a testimony so that you can return to me. It's always for a good reason.

The first law of heaven is what? Obedience

Cheryl N: we gain peace when we are obedient. We can substitute the word 'peace' for power. I have two daughters out of my four who are still rebellious. One day we were having a heated discussion because I had said something about 'no, not in my house.'. I don't get you, she said, what motivated you? That started my quest, deep soul searching. What motivate me? I thought about it long and hard and finally came to a conclusion. The core of my soul is obedience. Obedience leads to peace. I do what I have to do to be obedient and maintain peace, a connection to Heavenly Father. I felt better, and I appreciate the power of obedience.

That was a beautiful example of bearing testimony.

Karen M: I want to comment on 'We can obey without understanding why'. When I was a little girl, we were taught to be obedient. We didn't understand that the Word of Wisdom would cause certain illness, etc. My parents smoked, but mother taught us to be better than she was. Everything came to fruition when my father joined the church. The power came. Obedience brings great reward.

We're talking about balance. If we can say, 'cause I'm the mother', and get it across in a loving way. The story of Adam, he was obedient first, and then was given understanding later. I have not found a way to say 'cause I'm the mother' in a loving way.

Robby: Sometimes a child needs to understand. They have to have trust and faith to just do it.

Megan: We can add that I am your parent, love you and my stewardship is to take care of you, so you can return to Heavenly Father.

I say those word sometimes, 'I'm your mother, you are my responsibility. Always be loving.

RESULTS OF OBEDIENCE AND DISOBEDIENCE

What do you need to be obedient? After you become accountable, you have to make a choice. This applies to individuals, in lives over all, one specific commandment, church as a whole, nation as a whole, the whole world. It is happening at all levels in our lives.

Alisa J: Mosiah 2:24 “ And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you, and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto hi, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have e to boast?

So after we obey, when does he bless you? Immediately Something we notice and don't notice.

Dia: D&C 130; 20-21 THERE IS A LAW, IRREVOCABLY DECREED IN HEAVEN BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THIS WORLD, UPON WHICH ALL BLESSINGS ARE PREDICATED--

AND WHEN WE OBTAIN ANY BLESSING FROM GOD, IT IS BY OBEDIENCE TO THAT LAW UPON WHICH IT IS PREDICATED.

Blessings are eternal in nature. There are specific blessings. President Richards at the last Stake
Conference was very specific about that. The law of the Sabbath brings a specific blessing. The law of the word of wisdom brings specific blessings. The law requires that blessings come to us. What happens next?

Amy S: 1 Nephi 17:3: “And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.”

The Lord provides nourishment, strength, means to accomplish further. Sometimes we get weary of being obedient. We just need to be obedient one more time.

Amy put two blank lines on the board, below it, to the left, she drew a cycle with the word 'obedience' and to the right, she did another cycle 'disobedience'.

D&C 93:28 “He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.”

God gives us knowledge and light which in turn leads to more obedience.

Disobedience got me very depressed. We lose the spirit, peace, miracles, happiness. For a time Satan had enough power for us to feel happy in disobedience, then there is a numbness. It is removed by law.

Alma 12:11 “And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell”

We choose to take the cycles we want. If we choose the disobedience one, how do we get out of the place? The only way is through 'repentance' And we can do it at any point in the cycle. The Lord has said, preach nothing but repentance.

The obedience cycle is a lovey cycle. Where does it end if we can maintain it? Abraham 3:25-26 “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them...and they who keep their second estate shall ave glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.”

It's the greatest gift that He wants to give us. But we must want it as well. It is the first law of heaven and will bring peace, love and safety. We are commanded to be obedient in whatever way we can.

Next week's lesson is from the April Conference : Elder Christofferson: “As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten”

Have a great week.

June 12, 2011

Happy Sabbath sisters.

THOUGHT: “As you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give”. Elder Neal A. Maxwell

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.      Single Adult (31+) Family Home Evening “Developing Our Gift & Talents” Choral Director, Brother Floyd Rigby will be the feature speaker. Monday, June 13^th at 7:00 PM in the Stake Center.

2.      Free concert on Thursday, June 16^th at 8:30 PM at the Tabernacle. Come listen to The Mormon Tabernacle Choir as they favor us with the music from their Tour.

3.      Please remember the VT Interviews this coming Thursday, 16^th and Friday 17^th at Megan's home, between 10:00 – 2:00 and 6 – 8:00.

4.      Next Circle Sewing Group will be on Tuesday, June 21^th at 7 PM. More detail to follow.

5.      Be sure to check out our Blog.

BIRTHDAYS: June 12 – Sharon Johnson, June 15 – Sharon Honey, June 18 – Haley Holmstead

Happy Birthday sisters, enjoy your day.

Our lesson today was taught by Lynette Valencia “ Developing Our Talents”

What are your talents? What talents do you have? Is our usual answer, “I don't have any talents, I can't do anything.”

Lynette showed us this rag doll that actually looks like a woman who she calls the Copeless Lady.. Don't be like the Copeless Lady she said.

We All Have Different Talents and Abilities

“ We all have special gifts, talents, and abilities given to us by our Heavenly Father. When we were born, we brought these gifts, talents, and abilities with us”.

We Should Use and Improve Our Talents

We Can Develop Our Talents in Spite of Our Weaknesses

The Lord Will Bless Us If We Use Our Talents Wisely

The lesson brought out the importance of using our talents wisely. There are many talented people who know technology, especially computers, but they don't use this ability wisely, instead choosing to heck into websites. Sometimes people can take their talents to extreme.

We can tell ourselves that we have so many weaknesses, but the lesson says we can develop our talents in spite of those weaknesses. We developed personalities and talents while we lived in Heaven.

Amy W: At the funeral on Saturday, one of my cousins was struggling with her four young children. Even though I hadn't seen her in a long time, and the children didn't know me, I leaned forward and told her I would take the two youngest to my house (ages 2 and 1), would feed them and put them down for a nap. By this time they had taken off their shoes. I grabbed them and as I did, she told me that 'this one is so ADHD. However, in the car, he was talking, was so clever. I expected him to not look me in the eye, but he was interacting with me. Mama thought something was wrong with him for some reason. I was reminded of my own children. I decided to flip to the other side of the coin. To took at their different behavior as a strength and not a weakness. The boy needed activity.

The young boy whose funeral it was had loved music and had decided that he would become a Drum Major. He was to be the Drum Major this coming school year, his 9^th grade. He had to have been born with this music ability.

Christine A.: We all have the abilities to develop our talents. We need to work as hard as we can. The difference is that they got a head start because they come with particular talents.

Yes, “All the world is a stage. We all play a part”. Play a part, our thing is to know what to develop. I am not good with mechanical things. I just can't put things together. I don't understand it at all. I remember I had bought this dirt clothes cart that had three bags. I tried and tried to put it together and finally gave up on it and just left it on the floor. That evening I thank my husband for putting it together and he had no idea what I was talking about. My five year old said, “ I put it together”. He had the ability to do it.

We Can Develop Our Talents in Spite of Our Weaknesses

Sometimes we have hesitations, insecurities, but if we do not try, we do not have an excuse.

Karen M: I love to sew, but I can't seem to progress after the third step. I end up ripping the seams.

Yes, I once tried to make a bean bag, the kind you throw and I ended up sewing it all. The sister that was filling the bags said that I had sewed it wrong.

Shanel W: I am amazed at the wisdom of Heavenly Father and how he gave us our weaknesses, but in spite of our weaknesses, we all bring our talents together and consecrate them for the good of all.

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

The challenge is to improve, to seek ways to improve.

What do you think are some of the steps to develop our talents?

First, we must discover our talents. We should evaluate ourselves to find our strengths and abilities. We should also ask our Heavenly Father to help us learn about our talents.

Everything is hard before it is easy.

Janet: My son brought home the Sacrament Bag and it had holes in it, so I ripped out all the seams and after four and one half hours, I finally had a bag made. I made two extra ones and it only took me 15 minutes to make two more.

Amy S.: It is important to remember that talents are more than those that are visible. Patience, love, nurture, these are more meaningful.

Janet: I had a visiting teaching companion who always felt she didn't talents, but she knew how to play with children and with anybody.

Yes, we need to learn how to relax and play. I remember my grandchild asking me to play Monopoly with him and his friend. My first thought was that it would be a long game. But we need to treasure the memories. I have a friend that didn't really keep a clean house, but she would spend time playing with her children. Reading to them and just spending time with them.

Amy W: I am amazed at how people can create beauty. I enjoy Cami's back yard as I work in my kitchen and Lisa S. can touch anything and have beauty.

Janet: Tara does marvelous thing with furniture.

Megan: Amy has the ability to appreciate others' talents. She can look and find their abilities.

We can ask Heavenly Father to help us learn about our talents, but we need to put forth effort.

Pat H: Sometimes people are bless with great talents that can take us away from the important things. President Hunter was a very talented man. He could play several instruments and even had his own band and played on Cruise Ship. Yet in spite of all his talents, he felt that he was not on the right path. He felt that the Lord wanted him to go the other direction, so he put away all his instruments. He would play them when there was family gatherings. We need to be careful, that our talents won't take us away from the real purpose in life.

The Second step is that we must be willing to spend the time and effort to develop the talent we are seeking..

Third, we must have faith that our Heavenly Father will help us, and we must have faith in ourselves.

Fourth, we must learn the skills necessary for us to develop our talents. We might do this by taking a class, asking a friend to teach us, or reading a book.

Fifth, we must practice using our talent. Every talent takes effort and work to develop. The mastery of a talent must be earned.

Sixth, we must share our talent with others. It is by our using our talents that they grow.

Share it, use it to build the kingdom. Janet is a master of that. Taking cinnamon rolls, a special treat, a card. I had a friend who would not share recipes.

Sarah H: Janet teaches us how to do things, she pays attention to thing and uses her talent for blessing others.

Yes, I remember that Goldfish plant that Janet gave us and mine grew. One day I had my niece and nephew with me and they didn't really know me well, so I asked them if they wanted to see the plant that grew Goldfish. They still talk about that plant.

Karen M: Michael Ballam was a very successful singer on Broadway. He had a career in opera, a great career but what was he doing to serve the Lord with it? He quit his career and now is a wonderful example of how to use your talents to help built the kingdom.

Amy W: I am reminded of the story of the potato farmer from Idaho and his wife who went on a mission to some far away country. While there he looked around and saw that the potatoes that the farmers were growing was not producing good crops, so he asked the Church for some piece of land so he could grow potatoes with the hope that the farmers would see for themselves. Because the farmers would not listen to him as he tried to teach them, he decided to work Idaho potatoes. Soon they would come to him for instruction. He used his talent, growing potatoes to help others.

We are told in the scriptures that we will be judged according to our works. By developing and using our talents for other people, we perform good works.

The Lord is please when we use our talents wisely. He will bless us if we use our talents to benefit other people and to build up His kingdom here on earth. Some of the blessings we gain are joy and love from serving our brothers and sisters her eon earth. We also learn self-control. All these things are necessary if we are going to be worthy to live with our Heavenly Father again.

Heber J. Grant: “That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing is changed, but that our power to do is increased”.

President Joseph F. Smith said, “Every son and every daughter of God has received some talent, and each will be held to strict account for the use or misuse to which it is put”.

Next week our lesson will be 'Obedience' by Amy Waldron

May 29, 2011  Another rainy Sabbath, but we will overcome the effects. THOUGHT: “OUR LIVES ARE MADE UP OF THOUSANDS OF EVERYDAY CHOICES. OVER THE YEARS THESE LITTLE CHOICES WILL BE BUNDLED TOGETHER AND SHOW CLEARLY WHAT WE VALUE.” Boyd K. Packer ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1.      Stake Conference on Saturday June 4th at 7 pm and Sunday June 5th at 10 am at the Stake Center 2.      Memorial Day Breakfast tomorrow morning at 8 am in the Cultural Hall. Sorry, no bouncing and cotton candy. 3.      Don't forget the youth will coming to your home for their Youth Conference Service Project on June 9th between 10:30 and 12:30. Check the insert in today's bulletin for a list of items needed. 4.      Sisters there will not be a Temple Day this week since the Temple is closed for 2 weeks. 5.      Please keep little Jacob Garces in your prayers, he has been in the hospital since Thursday with pneumonia. 6.      Since this month has 5 Mondays and no group is scheduled for cleaning, please stay a few minuted after the breakfast so we can all clean and finish quickly. Thank you so much. BIRTHDAYS: June 4 – Gloria L; June 6 – Allison R.; June 8 – Sarah H.,; June 9 – Sally S and Chao S.; June 12 – Sharon J.; June 15 – Sharon H. Happy Birthday to all of you. Today we had a combined Priesthood and Relief Society Meeting and it was presented by Amy Smart. Helping Individuals and Families Amy said: I have been assigned to share this presentation about LDS Family Services. The presentation and information were put together by LDS Family Services in an effort to help us as members understand all the resources that are available to us. I don't have any professional qualifications. I do have many members of my family who have been affected by these issues, including eating disorders and severe depression, so as I received this training I was touched by the extent of the services that are available. Obviously there are many here who have been touched or blessed by adoption. Probably however, most of these issues are dealt with privately and many of us have no idea of the burdens that are being carried. And at the same time, I would guess that almost everyone here knows or cares about someone dealing with one of these issues. These issues are part of the trials of mortality and not all are even brought upon an individual by choice. So I believe that is the reason the Church wants us to be aware of the resources that are available. There is a story of a man in a flood who climbed on the roof of his house and prayed for God to save him. Presently a row boat came by and offered to make room for him. No thank you, he said, I prayed to God and He will save me. Then a motor boat came by and he said the same thing. Then as his house was almost swept away by the water, a helicopter offered to rescue him and he says no, I prayed to God and He will save me, as his house goes under water. As President Kimball said. “The Lord is aware of our needs, but it is often through another person that those needs are met.” Clearly the Church has invested a lot of resources in these programs and they are for our benefit. The Church has always been concerned for the welfare of its members. In Joseph Smith's day, charitable service was not only given spontaneously, but was also formalized through priesthood assignment, the calling of bishops, and through organizing the Relief Society in 1842. In 1919 the Church established LDAS Family Services to help strengthen individuals and families. Whenever we think of LDSFS, we often think of adoption, but there are many other resources available. LDSFS provides support, counseling, adoption. The guiding purpose of the services is to provide support services to ecclesiastical leaders, and counseling and adoption services to individuals and families enabling them to pursue a life consistent with eternal gospel principles. The professional staff must have a minimum of a Master's Degree in the behavioral sciences from an accredited university and be licensed or registered by a professional organization and mus have a current temple recommend. Supported by Church Leaders Pres. Harold B. Lee: “members may need counseling more than clothing and members who, through bishops, are referred to an agency in our (LDS Family) Services program should feel no more hesitancy in asking for help of this kind than (they) should in requesting help through the priesthood welfare program”. Bishop Victor L. Brown (former presiding bishop of the Church): President (Spencer W. ) Kimball. . . said: “The Church finds situations when the trained (professional) is called in for assistance.' There is a proper place for these professionally trained specialists. The Church has an organization for this purpose. It is called LDS (Family) Services. There are also other faithful Latter-day Saints who are in public or private practice and who can be called upon as a bishop feels the need”. I especially like Elder Alexander Morrison, Emeritus Seventy (whose daughter suffered from depression): “The truth is that many faithful Latter-day Saints, who live the commandments, and honor their covenants, experience personal struggles”. “(Ecclesiastical leaders) are well-advised to seek competent professional assistance for those in their charge who need them. Remember that Gold has given us wondrous knowledge and technology that can help us overcome grievous problems”. Counseling Services LDSFS provides counseling for individuals, couples, and families with the framework of gospel principles and professional practice. Members may contact the agency for services or receive a referral from their bishop or branch president. There is a fee for services. A bishop's authorization is required if the bishop uses fast offerings to help pay for the services. There is Short Term and Moderate Severity counseling. I will share with you a Counseling Success Story: “I am a mother of five children. Depression, feeling helpless, hopeless, and guilt has been my way of life for years. Though my parents love me very much, I never felt their love. My mother was especially negative and my father simply ignored me. He became involved only when he disciplined the children. He would hit, shake, and physically push us children. Throughout my life I have felt pressure to perform to other's expectations – whether at home, work, church, or wherever I was. At times the pressure was so intense that I felt physical pain in my chest. At a point when I was in the depths of despair and wanted to die, I called a priesthood leader and asked for a blessing. Shortly after, I began counseling with LDSFS to understand myself further. I also started reading my scriptures and praying daily – seeking understanding from the Lord. I now feel mulch more peace and handle life and its disappointments without being overwhelmed. Though I have a long way to go before overcoming my depression, I know I am on the right road.” Counseling Services: Supplemental Treatment Programs Sexual addiction Homosexuality Sexual abuse Eating Disorders Another Success Story “I like the person I have become. My family, bishop, close friends, and LDSFS professionals have helped me through my addiction that I have had for fifteen years. Though it was and is serious, the greater problem was my lack of honesty. The lack of honesty was driven by a feeling of inadequacy within me. I have served in church callings, have graduated from college and have accomplished many other things; yet, it never seemed good enough. I walked around with heavy guilt day after day for years, afraid I would be discovered. I knew I was not worthy of the temple recommend I carried, though there were periods of times when I stayed clean from my addiction. Sundays and other days were major cover-up times. I just felt unworthy. I knew I needed help but was afraid to reach out. My greatest fear was that my wife would leave me if she knew. When she discovered a discrepancy in our bank account and confronted me, I confessed my addiction to her. We went to see the bishop and he recommended I see LDSFS, which I did. Since attending counseling and being open and honest with my wife, my bishop, and the LDSFS counselor, I have found a greater peace come into my life. I worked hard in therapy. Between sessions I studied and practiced the things I needed to do to change. Counseling was especially helpful to change my thoughts from feelings of inadequacy to seeing the good that is within me.”a Marriage and Parenting Courses Strengthening Marriage: This course provides principles and skills to help couples develop and maintain harmonious and loving relationships. It has six sessions. Strengthening the Family: This course helps parents understand the principles of effective parenting, improve parenting skills, rear happy and successful children, and foster harmonious and loving relationships in the home. Special Services Residential and Mental Health Services: LDSFS may assist priesthood leaders in identifying, accessing, and monitoring appropriate resources for difficult, chronic, and potentially costly residential and mental health cases. The agency does this by negotiating discounts and monitoring costs, and by offering consultation, assessment, and review of services for these cases. Addiction Recovery Program Support Meetings 12-Step Program Staffed by Trained Missionaries Services to Missionaries: Pre-Mission Assesment MTC Services for those in the Field Services for Those Who Come Home Early Adoption Services Provide children with eternal families Adoption through LDSFS provides an opportunity for infants and children to be placed with temple-worthy families and have the blessings of the sealing covenant. Evaluate Applicant Qualifications Pre- and Post-Placement Assistance Services to Expectant Parents Free Pregnancy Counseling LDSFS offers free counseling to LDS and non-LDS expectant parents and other family members. Depending on local needs and resources, the counseling may occur: 1.      Individually 2.      In groups (support groups for expectant parents and for grandparents are available in the American Fork office). Supportive Assistance Selection of Adoptive Parents Open adoption arrangements Medical, financial, and legal assistance First Presidency Counsel In July of 2002, the First Presidency of the Church issued a letter with the following counsel: Marriage: “When a man and a woman conceive a child out of wedlock, every effort should be made to encourage them to marry.” Adoption: “When the probability of a successful marriage is unlikely...Unwed parents should be counseled to place the child for adoption through LDSFS to ensure that the baby will be sealed to temple-worthy parents” “Adoption is an unselfish, loving decision that blesses both the birth parents and the child in this life and in eternity”. “Unmarried mothers who place their children for adoption generally obtain a higher education, better employment, are more likely to marry and are less likely to repeat a subsequent out-of-wedlock pregnancy.” Single Parenting: The Proclamation on the Family says: “Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother...””Unwed parents are not able to provide the blessings of the sealing covenant. Further, they are generally unable to provide a stable, nurturing environment which is so essential for the baby's well-being.” Ecclesiastical Support Consultation Assessment How to Obtain Services Contact Office/Web Site Payment Options Fees Local Information American Fork Office 433 South 500 East 801-216-8000 fam-ut-americanfork@ldsfamilyservices.org The Lord cares about our temporal needs, not only our physical welfare and nourishment, but our emotional welfare and health as well. I was so touched by Amy Nelson and her testimony. She said it perfectly, through sorrow we learn the most. We are not alone in our trails. There are resources provided. I want to end with a personal experience. My grandfathers struggled with depression. One more so than the other. He struggled with depression so severally that also included difficulties in his marriage. It got to the point that he ended up taking his life. Back then in 1970, I don't know if these resources were available. The family felt It had to hide the problem. That is not the case now. We can feel the need to find help. There a lot of issues in our lives. We don't have to struggle; we can find the help in order to bless the family. The Lord provides healing, and is mindful of us and is there. All have trials. I am grateful for the resources and support. I am grateful for the Savior who is mindful of all of these who need help. The Bishop then concluded with these words: Thanks for the presentation and the sharing of your personal experience. I encourage any of you who struggle or a family member to seek help. There is no weakness in seeking help. Don't be like the man on the roof. We are very fortunate to live where and at this time to have resources available. There is no need to suffer in many ways. If you had a physical injury, you would go to the hospital for help. You would not think twice. Mental help is just as real. There is no need to endure without help. Help is available. If you don't know where to go, tal to the Bishop. Don't feel you are a burden to him. It's a burden to me, when I know you need help and don't ask me. If I don't know where you can go, then I will find other resources. The Lord loves you and cares for you. He is here to help you and wants us to take advantage of the resources. Remember that Stake Conference is next week. Don't forget to check out the RS Blog. Oh my goodness, there is snow on the mountain. Hope we have nice weather this week. Enjoy your week sisters. We love you.

May 23, 2011

Another Sabbath day almost gone. It was a good day.

THOUGHT: “Each of the major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that he wrote for future generations...If they saw our day and chose those things which would be of greatest worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon? We should constantly ask ourselves, 'Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record? What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?... President Ezra Taft Benson

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.      Visiting Teachers Interviews will be on Thursday June 16^th and Friday June 17^th between 10:00 - 2:00 AND 6:00 – 8:00 PM. Please be sure and sign up.

2.      Our youth will be doing a service project at Youth Conference where they will be conducting a 'scavenger hunt' in which they will be visiting every home in the Stake seeking various items to be donated for the Utah County Family Support and Treatment Center. The organization provides food, shelter and other resources for children, adults, and families whose lives have been affected by abuse or neglect. Groups of youth will be knocking on your doors some time between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm on Thursday June 9^th seeking donations.

3.      Mommy Mingle: June 8^th at 11:00 am at the Highland Splash Pad.

Today was a very special day in Relief Society. We honored four Laurels who will be graduating from High School: Mckenzie Holmstead, Diana Ingram, Kathryn Moss, and Francesca Montagnoli. They were spotlighted by Jen Rutter who is our transitional person for the Laurels entering Relief Society. We welcome each of those wonderful girls.

Our lesson today was presented by Darla Cox: The Spirit of Revelation by Elder Bednar

Darla said it was nice to have the Laurels be a part of our group. She remember when Kay Johnson was part of the Relief Society presidency when her oldest daughter graduated. Kay had made aprons for both the girls and their mothers and the aprons were tied together and the mothers had to cut the apron strings. That daughter is now married and has given them two grandchildren. Life goes on. It is a special time.

I have some advise for you young sisters. Wherever you do, whatever you do, be sure and land in Relief Society. My thoughts go to elephants, baby elephants, I love them. When one of their own fall, the elephants will put their backs to the one hurt and they stand as guard until the elephant gets well or dies. When they go to the water hole, they always come back to the place where the old bones of the elephant are. Relief Society is like those elephants, lots of old bones. We'll support you always. Relief Society is the right place to be, it will bless your life. Today, the Relief Society women will share some counsel with you.

Usually I put a picture of the General Authority on the board, but when I was growing up, I thought of them as inspired old men; however, Elder Bednar looks so young. He speaks of the Spirit of Revelation. I have put three pictures of light on the board. Elder Bednar: “I invite you to consider two experiences most of u have had with light. From these two ordinary experiences with light, we can learn much about the spirit of revelation. I pray the Holy Ghost will inspire and instruct us as we now focus upon the spirit of revelation and basic patterns whereby revelation is received.”

The first picture is a picture of a light bulb. Elder Bednar: “The first experience occurred as we entered a dark room and turned on a light switch. Remember how in an instant a bright flood of illumination filled the room and caused the darkness to disappear. What previously had been unseen and uncertain became clear and recognizable. This experience was characterized by immediate and intense recognition of light.”

The second picture is of the night into the morning over water. “The second experience took place as we watched night turn into morning. Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? In contrast to turning on a light in a dark room, the light from the rising sun did not immediately burst forth. Rather, gradually and steadily the intensity of the light increased, and the darkness of night was replaced by the radiance of morning. Eventually, the sun did dawn over the skyline. But the visual evidence of the sun's impending arrival was apparent hours before the sun actually appeared over the horizon. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light.

The third picture shows the sun rising on a cloudy day. “Another common experience with light helps us learn an additional truth about the “line upon line, precept upon precept” pattern of revelation. Sometimes the sun rises on a morning that is cloudy or foggy. Because of the overcast conditions, perceiving the light is more difficult, and identifying the precise moment where the sun rises over the horizon is not possible. But on such a morning we nonetheless have sufficient light to recognize a new day and to conduct our affairs.

“Revelations are conveyed in a variety of ways, including, for example, dreams, visions, conversations with heavenly messengers, and inspiration. Some revelations are received immediately and intensely; some are recognized gradually and subtle. The two experiences with light I described help us to better understand these two basic patterns of revelation.”

“A light turned on in a dark room is like receiving a message from God quickly, completely, and all at once. Many of us have experienced this pattern of revelation as we have been given answers to sincere prayers or been provided with needed direction or protection, according to “God's will and timing...However, this pattern of revelation tends to be more rare than common.”

“The gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God “line upon line, precept upon precept...This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare and is evident in the experiences of Nephi with Laban and in building the ship. An example also is the fundamental truths of the restored gospel were not delivered to the Prophet Joseph Smith all at once in the Sacred Grove. These priceless treasures were revealed as circumstances warranted and as the timing was right.”

Robby read: “President Joseph F. Smith explained how this pattern of revelation occurred in his life: “As a boy...I would frequently...ask the Lord to show me some marvelous thing, in order that I might receive a testimony. But the Lord withheld marvels from me, and showed me the truth, line upon line...., until He made me to know the truth from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and until doubt and fear had been absolutely purged from me. He did not have to send an angel from the heavens to do this , nor did He have to speak with the trump of an archangel. By the whisperings of the still small voice of the spirit of the living God, He gave to me the testimony I possess. And by this principle and power He will give to all the children of men a knowledge of the truth that will stay with them, and it will make them to know the truth, as God knows it, and to do the will of the Father as Christ does it. And no amount of marvelous manifestations will ever accomplish this.”

We can all relate to that. I knew a woman whom I loved and respected. She lived closed to the spirit. The spirit would tell her to do this or that. In a way, I was almost discouraged and I would question myself of my worthiness to receive revelation.

We feel that others are so talented and gifted, but if we keep the commandments, etc, then we are entitled. The Holy Ghost is a revelator.

Robby: I have a friend in Australia who prays all the time, even when she is ironing, etc. The spirit will tell her if she needs to take food to someone or whatever. I feel I could never be like her. It was as if she had a little bird on her shoulder directing her life.

You're doing it, you just don't know it.

Mary T. read: “In the spring of 1829, Oliver Cowdery was a schoolteacher in Palmyra, New York. As he learned about Joseph Smith and the work of translating the Book of Mormon, Oliver felt impressed to offer his assistance to the young prophet. Consequently, he traveled to Harmony, Pennsylvania, and became Joseph's scribe. The timing of his arrival and the help he provided were vital to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

The Savior subsequently revealed to Oliver that as often as he had prayed for guidance, he had received direction from the Spirit of the Lord. “If it had not been so,” the Lord declared, “thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time. Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth”

Thus, Oliver received a revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith informing him that he had been receiving revelation. Apparently Oliver had not recognized how and when he had been receiving direction from God and needed this instruction to increase his understanding abut the spirit of revelation. In essence, Oliver had been walking in the light as the sun was rising on a cloudy morning.”

At the age of 14, I had an experience regarding the Book of Mormon. My Seminary teacher challenged us to read and prayed about the truthfulness of the book. I knew I had had an experience, but did not understand it. Later when I received my Patriarchal Blessing I was told as Oliver was told. When I was young I didn't understand, but now I was able to understand.

Sherry: That happens to me often. Things I couldn't see at the time, now I see and can understand why it happened.

Yes, we need to remain faithful. We can look back and have understanding.

Kathryn: I'm reminded of Sister Beck's saying, 'You're doing better than you think you are, but you can still do better'

Lynette: I remember Brother Lund speaking on receiving revelation when you open the scriptures. But if we are reading the scriptures often, then while reading we will receive revelation because we are doing wheat we're supposed to be doing. The spirit helps you with problems that we may have put on the back burner. It acts as a conduit. We cannot force revelation.

Amy S: When I was in High School I was given the challenge to pray about the Book of Mormon. I did and nothing happened. Nothing that I have expected. It was a test of my faith. A few days later, I was having a bad day in school, and I felt more humbled when I was saying my prayers. The answer came. Maybe it was because I needed that comfort and felt really humbled.

Yes, can we see the need in this time of gadgetry and noise that we need time to ponder, quiet time, even it's only 15-20 minutes a day. We will have a better chance to hear the voice of the spirit.

Francesca: We had a lesson on that for Family Home Evening. I have learned that while I drive past the Temple to turn off my radio. I have complete silence and am better able to feel the calm.

Yes, we need to ask ourselves how mulch have I missed because I have not been still?

D&C 8:3-4 “Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.

Wherefore this is thy gift; apply unto it, and blessed art thou, for it shall deliver you out of the hands of your enemies, when, if it were not so, they would slay you and bring your soul to destruction.”

What's our responsibility. We need to apply to it.

Elder Bednar: “As you appropriately seek for and apply unto the spirit of revelation, I promise you will “walk in the light of the Lord”. Sometimes the spirit of revelation will operate immediately and intensely, other times subtly and gradually, and often so delicately you may not even consciously recognize it. But regardless of the pattern whereby this blessing is received, the light it provides will illuminate and enlarge your soul, enlighten your understanding and direct and protect you and your family.”


May 15, 2011

Good evening sisters. What a special day.

THOUGTH: “A great indicator of one's personal conversion is the desire to share the gospel with others. For this reason the Lord gave an obligation to every member of the Church to be missionaries.” Howard W. Hunter

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.      Stake Woman’s Choir performing on Saturday Evening Session, June 4^th, “There is a Balm in Gilead” Practices will be held on Sunday, May 22 and 29 from 7 – 8 pm at the Stake Center.

2.      Tuesday, May 17, is our Ward's turn to clean the Stake Kitchen. Anyone who would like to help, please be at the Stake Center by 10:00 am.

3.      Our youth will be doing a service project at Youth Conference where the youth will be conducting a “scavenger hunt” in which they will be visiting every home in the Stake seeking various items to be donated to the Utah County Family Support and Treatment Center. The organization provides food, shelter and other resources for children, adults, and families whose lives have been affected by abuse or neglect. Groups of youth will be knocking on your doors some time between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm on Thursday, June 9^th seeking donations.

4.      Visiting Teacher Interviews will be on Thursday, June 16 and Friday, June 17 between 10 – 12 and 6 – 8 pm. Please be sure and sign up.

5.      Mommy Mingle Dates for the summer are as follows: June 8, 11:00 am at the Highland Splash Pad; July 13 11:00 am at eh Creek at Heritage Park (right by Cedar Ridge Elementary) and August 10, 11:00 am Picnic and water fun at park across the Whitehead Home

BIRTHDAYS: Mikaela M: May 17^th, Janet Thwaits: May 18^th, Whitney T., May 18^th.

Our lesson today was taught by Amy W, “Missionary Work”

The room was set up with four circles of chairs and we chose wherever we wanted to sit. Amy started by saying there are glorious moments about missionary work. Felipe, the returned missionary who spoke in Sacrament Meeting, and our own Felipe C., who shared his own conversion in Sunday School, and our own Amy S.'s story. I'm glad that it was done well. How many of you in this class feel that you don't do missionary work well? If you sincerely feel that way, we'll have group therapy at the end of the lesson. While I was preparing for the lesson, I had an epiphany and said to Paul, there is a different lesson for the High Priest than for the Relief Society sisters. At the end he needed to make a copy of the handout and I had to remind him that I had changed the pronouns. Don't worry about it said one of the sisters, the men won't notice.

I will assign a question to each group, you will have a discussion on it and a spokesman from each group will share with the class. You can use a scripture from the manual. The groups were #1: Amy S., Alisa, Darla, Linda, Sharon B., Jennifer N. Group #2: Jami, Steffanie, Rebecca, Gayla, Melissa, Heather, Sarah, Christy and Bobbi. Group #3: Karen M, Lupe, Sherry, Robby, Dia. Group #4: Lynette, Kaye, Cathy, Sondra, Haley, Janet T and Cheryl.

Before we start, what is the three fold mission of the Church? Perfect the Saints, Redeem the Dead and Proclaim the Gospel. In a talk by Dallin H. Oaks, he reminds us that “these three dimensions are interlocking and inseparable. That our efforts to promote temple and family history work should be such as to accomplish the work of the Lord, not to impose guilt on his children.” That “our effort is not to compel everyone to do everything, but to encourage everyone to do something.” He quoted President Taft Benson “the family is the most effective place to instill lasting values in its members”. Elder Oaks went on to say “Some members may feel guilty about not furthering the mission of the Church when they are actually doing so. This kind of guilt comes not from insufficient efforts, but from insufficient vision. Every member should have some ongoing activity in each of these three dimensions, with a total personal activity that does not exceed what is wise for his or her current circumstances and resources.” He also quoted King Benjamin's great sermon “And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.”

Group One: Why is missionary work important? So that our family will know about it. Sister Linda W., joined the church in her youth, her mother first and five years later, her dad. What a difference when her dad finally joined. She and her brother joined when their mom did. Her father joining changed everything.

I loved the power of Amy's story when she told that she and her husband had returned to England on a business trip and how they wanted to get in contact with a sister that he had taught. When they did see her, she had hit bottom and was working to get back her spirituality. How she realized that Heavenly Father did love her. And the sons of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, how they had this desire to preach the gospel to the Lamanites even though they knew it would be difficult. They did it because of love and couldn't bear to see one soul be lost.

So missionary work is important because God wants us to do it and we want our families to be together forever.

D&C 18:10 “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God”

D&C 88:81 “Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath warned to warn his neighbor.”

Christine A.: Every time we share my testimony, it strengthen us, benefits us.

Robby: When I first joined the Church, I was on fire and had the spirit; told everybody. As I did, I strengthened my testimony. 35 years later, I'm “still here”

Gayla: Sweetness comes into your life. Maybe because we are out of our comfort zone and have to rely on Heavenly Father.

Yes. What is the last thing? When do we experience the joy of missionary work. Social discomfort. Check!

Gayla: I come from Oklahoma so I have a group of non-member friends. I do a simple newsletter where I write what I do everyday. My friends can read what my life is like, including everything that has to do with the gospel in our daily lives. Prepare every needful thing.

Steffani: Like a blog?

Group Two: What has the Church been commanded to do regarding missionary work?

Janet T: In high school, I was one of 6 members in a class of 2,000. I loved telling everybody that I was a Mormon. They even had milk at the parties. Now I keep bearing my testimony. When my friends let me know that such and such has died, because they keep dropping like flies, I can tell them about the plan of Salvation and I am always anxious to bear testimony.

Melissa: Every member is to be a missionary. All are asked to be one in her own way.

Sarah: All the young men has been asked to raise the bar, and prepare to be effective missionaries. We are to be friends to our neighbors because they are our neighbors.

D&C 58:64 “For, verily, the sound must go forth from this place into all the world, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth—the gospel must be preached unto every creature, with signs following them that believe.”

So we have been commanded to all be missionaries, to prepare self and children to be worthy and to be friends.

Darla: Elder Packard said that what may be an impossible task, we can do anything because it all goes back to trusting in the Lord. Just like Felipe said in his talk at Sacrament Meeting.

It's like the story of the man who would pick up a starfish and throw back into the sea. When asked why he did that, there was no way he could save all of them. He said ' it matters to that one'. Back to
Amy's story. The Lord can take care of one soul at a time.

Group Three: What is our message?

D&C 123:12 – 17 “For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it--

Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven--

These should then be attended to with great earnestness.

Let no man count them as small things; for there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things.

You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.

Therefor, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God and for his arm to be revealed”

Missionary work has been awkward for me. I felt that people felt sorry for me because my dad wasn't a member. I feel that I can't baptized my dad, so how am I going to influence other people. Every person in the ward wanted to teach my father, every new home teacher, etc. It was poor family, how can I help. There was one person who really hit it off with my father. He wasn't married. When asked why he wasn't married, he would say that his wife had been killed in the war in heaven. He had been a BYU Cheerleader in the 50's. When they would come over, my dad would say, Jack don't you have to teach me a lesson? One day I gave a Book of Mormon to a friend in High School. It felt very awkward, didn't know what to day. She, because she was kind, just said. This is great Amy, thank you.

Robby: Very rarely is somebody ready for the gospel. I was not looking for the church when the missionaries knocked on my door. Yea, sure come in. But when I heard the gospel I felt good about it. One of my Bishops said that we are commanded to be missionaries, but he said, don't judge a person you are going to teach. He said there was not much he didn't do in life. He lifted up his sleeve to show all his tattoos. But God was aware of him. The right person came at the right time. I was at the opposite end of the spectrum, but God was aware of me. He saw fit for the missionaries to go 30 miles to my house out of 3,000 people. That is what the gospel does. All we need to do is share a smile or be happy. What is in our heart will be shared and the Lord will pick up the slack.

Sherry: Don't judge. It's for everybody. Salvation and exaltation is for all through Christ.

Karen M: It's the conscious and the light of Christ. If a person is trying to do what is right, it will bring them to the church. It's a testing of the conscious.

Group Four: What is the plan to accomplish what we have been commanded to do?

Kathy: It is simple. It is sisters doing more than we realize. That's how you help and strengthen your testimony. Temple work is being an example. All are wonderful. Open our mouth when the Lord tells you. I crashed an all male Muslim party where we were invited by the guest of honor. The poor little men were shaking at the thought of a woman being there. The guest of honor talked about his wife being afraid of going back to the Mid East. I told them about the people in East Germany who lived behind the wall and how they quietly lived their religion. Don't know what the outcome will be, but each of us does as much as we can do.

My little moment. How important other things are in relation to being out on a mission. Read through the list on the handout under Do It and you will see that there is something I can do right now. I can do anew and feel the joy of missionary work. The Lord lives, He loves each one of us. It is a privilege to be part of this work to save man's souls.

Amy gave Gayla an assignment to share how she shares the gospel. Here is her reply.

May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day. Hope you had a good one.

THOUGHT: “On this occasion we may recall memories of mothers who are gone, send loving messages to mother's too far away to visit, and make happier and more cheerful the lives of those who are near. The badge of the day is the white carnation, emblem of purity and enduring fidelity and love.” Davis O McKay

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.      STAKE WOMEN”S CHOIR, PERFORMING SATURDAY EVENING session of Stake Conference on June 4^th. The choir will be performing the same musical number performed at Women's Conference in February, “There is a Balm in Gilead,” Because of this, any one who was involved in that choir is encouraged and invited to be a part of this performance. We also welcome all sisters who did not sing with the choir earlier, but would like to join the choir now, to do so. Practices will be held on 3 Sundays: May 15, 22 and 29 from 7-8 pm at the Stake Center.

2.      Single Adult (31+) Family Home Evening “Living Heart Healthy”, Monday May 9 at 7 pm at the Stake Center presented by Eric Carter, M.D. Cardiologists and dynamic speaker. He addresses the need on how best to take care of ourselves.

3.      Thursday, May 12^th, 10:00 – 11:00 am. SUN OVEN Cooking essentials Seminar at the home of Earlene McDonald, 9187 Canyon Heights Dr., Cedar Hills. RSVP so she can plan for food and space. Earlene.mcdonald@zero.biz or 801 796-0887.

BIRTHDAYS: Laurie A. May 9^th; Marlene L., May 10^th; Tara B., May 11^th.

Today's lesson was presented by Lynette Valencia on “Tithes and Offerings

I have always send money to my grandchildren for their birthdays. As they have gotten older they get more significant money. After her mother counted the money with her and told her how much she needed to pay for tithing, the child asked “When will I get it back”?

The purpose of this lesson is to help us develop positive attitudes and understand that we will get paid back in blessings.

PAYING TITHES AND OFFERINGS

QUESTION: How does our willingness to pay tithes and offerings show gratitude to our Heavenly Father for all His blessings to us?

Think about that. Notice the key words, “willingness to pay” and “show gratitude.”

Karen M. When we obey we bring glory and honor to Heavenly Father when it is done willingly.

QUESTION: In what ways does the payment of tithes and offerings help us thank our Heavenly Father? These two questions blend together. Our willingness show gratitude.

Janet T.: I have a desire in my heart to do properly. If I have forgotten something, but I have a willingness then the Lord will access my best efforts to pay an honest tithes. When you are in business for yourself, there are many things to consider.

I heard of this many who used to pay his tithing at the end of the year, but one year he decided to pay ahead of time, at the beginning, what he expected to have to pay. He found the blessings in abundance and even at times ended up paying more at the end of the end.

Amy W.: You all know that I am a detailed girl. I account for every penny. And in my marriage I am so. There has been several times when I have had a moment of panic; do I pay now or later. It is moments when I can pause and say to myself: “Amy, you will not starve if you pay the Lord his tithing. Where is my faith? Do I believe that God can add a little cent her and there? It can be a helpful moment to me.

Kaelie P.: In living away from home, having to deal with living expenses, sometimes I have called my parents in panic. They'll say, just pay your tithing and it will be O.K. I realize that the money is not mine anyway, it's the Lord's. Money is only our way to communicate with each other.

Janet T.: Tithing is paid not with money but with faith.

OBEYING THE LAW OF TITHING

QUESTION: What is an honest tithe? Again something to ponder.

I got permission to share this with you. Felipe Chou's story and testimony on tithing. He is an incredible man who has a great testimony. When he joined the church, he tried to apply the principle of tithing that he had been taught. He had always kept a record of every money he had ever earned even when he was in high school and in college. And even though he was saving to go on a mission, he felt the desire to go back to when he had started working and pay tithing on those monies. His Bishop explained that he didn't need to do that, but to start at this moment of baptism. In his heart, Felipe felt he needed to do that. He is a quiet kind of giant, to desire to tithe on money he earned even prior to joining the church.

In what ways is tithing a principle of faith more than a principle of finances?

How many of you have heard the question: Do we pay on gross or net?

Janet S. My husband and I debated that when we first got married, one of us was 'on net' the other 'on gross'. It is better to be on the Lord's side, to pay more than less.

The question arises about social security. How much to pay.

Karen M: Milt and I had a discussion about a man who owned a store and paid with merchandise for services rendered. How do you decide?

Melissa B: I think that it is a good idea to pay as much tithing as we can.

We don't want to short change the Lord.

Malachi 3:10 “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”.

D&C 64:23 “Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man and verily it is a day of sacrifice and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.”

QUESTION: What can parents do to teach their children to pay tithing and understand its importance?

Take advantage of little teaching moments. Emphasize the importance of tithing.

Karen M: we used to pay our children for little jobs so they could pay tithing.

How do you move them to the next level? Of feeling the importance and not just doing it because. This is where you teach them that tithing is more a principle of faith and not finances.

Amy W: I am reminded of the widow's mite and her willingness to sacrifice in exchange for blessings. It's not connected to how much money is involved.

As our children mature, we need to continue emphasizing the value of tithing.

WE SHOULD GIVE WILLINGLY

QUESTION: Why is our attitude important as we pay tithing?

When we moved here a few years ago, this family sold some property and as the mother saw how much the check was, she thought of the tithing they would have to pay. Her son reminded her, to be a cheerful giver. Anything in the gospel take a great attitude.

Sister A.: Everything in the church, from hymn books to chairs, is due to tithing. Even the temples. When we are willing to give, we have great blessings.

TITHING AND OTHER OFFERINGS

QUESTION: In what ways does the Church use tithing funds and other offerings?

I have enlarged a tithing slip so we can see where we can pay offerings. In fact, tithing and fast offerings are in bold print. It is a commandment to pay those. We use fast offerings to help care for the poor and the needy. In a very affluent area the Stake President addressed the Relief Society presidents that in the past any excess money was sent to Salt Lake and it was used as needed, knowing that they would get help if they needed some. For the first time in the church in this area, they needed to contact Salt Lake for help, because fast offerings were not being generated.

There is also room on the slip for other donations. When I have traveled, I can see better the need for humanitarian aid. The church is there with Humanitarian assistance wherever there is a disaster. I also like to donate to the Perpetual Education Fund whose motto is 'a hand up not a hand down'. This program changes people's lives completely because when they have more education, they can get a better job. They borrow money from the church to pay for their education and once they get a job, they pay it back, so others can have the same opportunity. I really have a real bias to these two programs and after I have paid whatever, if I have anything left over, I give it to the Perpetual Education Fund. These are two ways to help people.

Melissa B: We all want to help and we know that the Church will treat it with sacredness into how they will use it.

With most other organizations, most of the money goes to Administrative cost, but with the church we know it is used 100% of what we give.

Sister A: If we donate to Other (specify) and say that we want it to be used for temple travel expenses and ordinance clothes. This money will go to help third world countries so the members can travel to the temple.

Tithing is used by the Church for manly purposes. Some of these are to:

1. Build, maintain, and operate temples, meetinghouses, and other buildings.

2.      Provide operating funds for stakes, wards, and other units of the Church.

3.      Help the missionary program.

4.      Educate young people in Church schools, seminaries, and institutes.

5.      Print and distribute lesson materials.

6.      Help in family history and temple work.

WE ARE BLESSED WHEN WE GIVE TITHES AND OFFERINGS

Marlene L: I would tell my children that we are an eternal family and we have made covenants and when we pay our tithing, we can contribute to eternal families.

We are blessed by paying tithing. We all have problems, challenges, we can look at our list and see money deplete quickly. But we need to put our trust in the Lord that the windows of heaven will open as it says in Malachi.

A woman came across the plains who developed medical and physical problems, she was a widow with young children and she wanted to pay tithing. So she got permission to glean one of the wheat fields. She could hardly walk, but she would crawled along each row, with her children to glean so they could eat. They managed to fill five sacks and she was able to give one sack to the Bishop as tithing.

We are so blessed here compared to third world countries. We need to take our commitments seriously. The windows of Heaven will open. We need to re-access our feelings and thinking.

Next week's lesson will be #33 Missionary Work by Amy Waldron.

Have a great week.

May 1, 2011

Hello sisters, hope you are enjoying your day.

THOUGHT: “In a very real sense, all we need to know is that God knows all!”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.      Thursday, May 5^th “Temple Group”, 8 pm session

2.      Single Adult (31+) Family Home Evening: “Living Heart Healthy”, Monday May 9^th at 7 pm, Stake Center, presented by Eric Carter, M.D., Cardiologist and dynamic speaker. He addresses the need on how best to take care of ourselves.

3.      Thursday, May 12^th, 10:00 – 11:00a.m., SUN OVEN Cooking Essential Seminar at the home of Earlene McDonald, 9187 Canyon Heights Dr., Cedar Hills. RSVP so she can plan for food and space. Earlene.mcdonald@zero.biz or 801-796-0887.

BIRTHDAYS: Penny C., May 4^th; Shoua E. May 5^th; Sherry P. May 6^th ; Emily Thresher May 7^th ; Happy Birthday to all of you.

Sister Julie Beck's mother isn't in good health. We would like to ask the sisters in our ward to remember Sister Beck and her mother in your prayers.

Today's message was presented by Martha Montagnoli 'STAND IN HOLY PLACES'

We are bombarded on all sides by a vast number of messages we don't want or need. More information is generated in a single day than we can absorb in a lifetime. To fully enjoy life all of us must find our own breathing space and peace of mind. How can er do this? We must rise above the evil that encroaches upon us. We must follow the counsel of the Lord, who said, “It is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO STAND IN HOLY PLACES?

Megan shared with us her testimony of BYU Woman's Conference, how all the sisters were enjoying themselves, visiting with each other in the Marriott Center, when a quietness descended in the building as the sisters were reverently sitting, singing uplifted songs as they prepared to listen to Elder Bednar.

Christy S. sharing her feelings of enjoying her flower beds as she weeded, enjoying being alone while enjoying the moment and appreciating God's creation. Of teaching her daughter of the beginning of growth each spring, even though plants may appear to be dead. How the tulips break through the snow and show their beautiful colors. How even doing yard work, you can be standing in holy places.

Humanitarian night, as we all worked together to bring comfort to those who need it, it felt like standing in holy places.

I was asked to go to the MTC to translate for an Italian missionary who didn't know English. As I had lunch with all the missionaries, I felt the energy of the spirit and knew they were indeed representatives of Jesus Christ.

Last Easter week, as the choir say “He Is Risen”, I felt the spirit and as the Lindsays spoke of the Atonement, it definitely felt as if I was standing in holy places.

Sitting on the floor with my girls as we did FHE on charity, have a devotion with my family, we stand in holy places.

Last week, all my family came for my niece's baptism, and as we all stood to watch, we were standing in holy places.

D&C 87:8 “Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, said the Lord. Amen.”

D&C 101:22 “Behold, it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places;”

Sister Sharon Larsen, “Standing in holy places helps us to become holy, but that is an acquired virtue that takes practice. Practice listening to the Spirit and practice being obedient to the promptings. Practice being reverent about sacred things. Let Him envelop you in love and forgiveness and peace. Regardless of what is going on around you, you can practice creating an environment of your own, filled with the Spirit of the Lord.”

WHAT IS HOLINESS? And how do you see it in your life?

Amy R.: It's a feeling inside. Of course it's different for everyone, but for me it's a feeling.

For Shanel W., running is her way to communicate with her Heavenly Father. For me, it's retreating to my yellow happy room after my girls are gone and grandpa is outside where I can do my planning, scripture reading and my prayers.

President James E. Faust states, “Holiness is the strength of the soul. It comes by faith and through obedience to God's laws and ordinances. God then purifies the heart by faith, and the heart becomes purged from that which is profane and unworthy. When holiness is achieved by conforming to God's will, one knows intuitively that which is wrong and that which is right before the Lord. Holiness speaks when there is silence, encouraging that which is good or reproving that which is wrong.”

Holiness is also a personal standard of righteousness.

“In some remarks by President Brigham Young in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, February 16, 1862, he used the expression, “Holiness to the Lord,” He then further explained what “Holiness to the Lord” meant to him. I quote: “Thirty years' experience has taught me that every moment of my life must be holiness to the Lord, resulting from equity, justice, mercy and uprightness in all my actions, which is the only course by which I can preserve the Spirit of the Almighty to myself.”

Holiness is quiet and gentle, easily missed if we aren't paying attention. Does this ever happen to you? Even when we are busy, we can become too busy. Sister Julie Beck reminds us of the essential, the necessary and the fun to do.

A righteous woman friend and I went to the Woman's Conference. She is a Stake RS president and very talented. She was busy doing wonderful things, one of which was making a dress for her daughter participation in a debate. Her daughter was to leave in a few days. The thought came into her mind that because the daughter had been preparing for the trip, doing homework ahead of time as she would be missing classes, she should drive her daughter to seminary and school. She worked on the dress late into the night and in the morning called for her daughter to get up and go to school. Well, the daughter got in the car and fell asleep at the wheel, went through a chain link fence and into a tree. Luckily for the girl, she was not hurt. So they ended up in the ER until midnight. She sews until the morning when her husband takes their daughter to the airport. She did go to the conference with me but was half asleep. Needless to say, she wished she had listen and paid attention. She would have avoided the trauma, drama and stress of the accident. It is so important to take time and be still and listen. Each day we need to go to our holy place.

HOW DO WE TEACH IT TO OUR FAMILIES?

Marlene L: We have to make a stand. Like Sister Beck said: we have to be lioness at the gate. Make a place holy by finding time for the spirit. I have such admiration for a sister in the ward, by how she deals with her difficulties. We create by nurturing and nourishing; by being who we are, giving and serving.

Sharon Larsen states, “Holy places can be wherever you are—alone, I a crowd, with strangers, with friends. The road to Jericho was treacherous and formidable. Thieves infiltrated the bushes and trees waiting to ambush any traveler. It took a kind and courageous Samaritan to change that road from a haunted place to a holy place. There are things you can do to being holiness to ordinary places: when you clean house for an elderly friend—these things bring feelings of selflessness and sacrifice and holiness.

There will be times when the Spirit will whisper that you can make the place where you are better. The Russian town of Omsk in Siberia appeared to me to be rather cold and barren until I heard a group of young women and young men singing “How Great Thou Art” in their native language. Suddenly the whole world—or at least our world—became warm and loving and joyful, a holy place.”

There is power when a mom teaches her children as they share experiences. There is a wealth of knowledge by reading the scriptures and praying,

President Faust said, “I believe reading the scriptures is the best washing machine for unclean or uncontrolled thoughts.”

Karen M.: Milt is a very selfless, and the best nurturing person in our family.

Amy R.: I teach my children while working in our garden. The garden is the place where I commune with God as I pull weeds. I drag my children out to help me and teach them about God's creation and when it's so hot and a cloud appears to give us some shade, I tell them see, God is looking out for you. Take time to point out the little things of God. We talk together, to notice that God is around us. When it's time to reap the harvest, we enjoy the results. They know about Heavenly Father because you point out to them.

I feel that way when I'm outside. It helps me reflect his holiness. Nothing can take place of being together with our children.

Megan: I think it's so important to help them know their self worth, their divine nature, at any place. Even my 5 year old, we were at the store and she saw this magazine and said “she's not modest”. She's aware of her divine nature, of her worth. We can experience that wherever we are, we can have holy experiences.

Sally J: My mother was not loud, she is a very quiet, calm person. As a teenage, I was all over the place and would come to be with my mom to feel comfort. I still feel that way.

My mission president was like that. I felt that when he prayed, that the heavens would open.

Gisele M; My dad. We were at the temple last week and as we enter the temple to show our recommends, the brother who scanned mine asked me how my dad was. I never saw him before and didn't know him, but he noticed my maiden name and associated it with my dad. I told him that my dad had passed away last February. He said, “I want you to know that your father and another brother were instrumental in helping me get re-activated. In the sealing room the sealer talked about the covenant we have made. I could feel that my father was with me. When I got home I shared my experience with my sister who is ill. We felt that we were in holy place.

For me, the thing that has helped me raise teenagers is the temple, a holy place. I went with them and watched as they served and afterward, we would go behind an area and there have a devotional with prayers and sharing of experience. Now that they are older, they go by themselves.

A group of senior girls hurried home from school to go do baptisms. There was a young man there and the girls came home very giddy. He was the most beautiful man, who had the priesthood, and he was in the temple.

At another time, other than Wednesday which is when my girls go, I told my oldest girl that she needed to go to the temple. I drop them off, but then had the thought to ask the girls to take my 4 year old niece into the foyer so she could look around. The other day she called me and said 'remember yesterday we went to the temple. I went in where Jesus lives. After we play barbies, I want to go again.

When my visitors were ready to go home, my 13 year old nephew says to his mom. We have to move to Utah. Why, you love where we live, by the ocean. That's home. He said, home is where Lucia is. She took me to the temple. There is where I feel holy. I later asked Lucia what had she done. After the baptisms, I took him to the back, had a devotional, read scriptures and had prayer. He was drawn to come back.

President James E Faust said, “Our chapels are dedicated to the Lord as holy places. We are told we should go to the house of prayer and offer up our sacraments upon His holy day. Partaking of the sacrament is a solemn and sacred privilege. In our chapels we are instructed in principles of the gospel, children are blessed, members are confirmed and given the gift of the Holy Ghost, and testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel are borne. A convert in Texas said, when she walked through the chapel door, there was a felling of holiness that she had never before experienced in her life.”

Sharon's example of standing in a holy place singing the Messiah: Years ago I was singing Handel's Messiah with a group of people from different faiths. Even though our beliefs were different, we were all singing about the same Messiah, our own personal Savior. I had sung this oratorio many times, but during one particular practice, the Spirit told me that I was not only singing notes, I was singing my testimony: “Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrow” I knew with all my soul that He had done that for me. For a moment the 300 other voices became a whisper and I felt like I was all alone with the Lord. I felt His love and reassurance that He had carried the griefs and the sorrows of my teenage heart, and through my obedience, He would continue to walk with me for the rest of my life. To feel that blessing and comfort and complete love from the Lord is worth any price.

In Paris on our way to London to go to the temple, we stopped at Westminster Abbey. Even though there were so many people there, I felt that it truly is a holy place. Handel is buried there, and as they began to play the Messiah, all of a sudden I felt as if I was the only one there. I sat on a chair and the girls and their friends sat down to listen. It warmed my soul, and I felt that I was all alone with my Heavenly Father. He witnessed to me that I have a Savior who loves me. Later I found a plaque that says “Be still and know that I am” It is a remembrance of that beautiful experience.

THE MOST HOLY PLACE IS THE TEMPLE

President Gordon B. Hinckley taught us: “There is need occasionally to leave the noise and the tumult of the world and step within the walls of a sacred house of God, there to feel His Spirit in an environment of holiness and peace.” Truly, Joseph Smith's prayer at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple has been answered: “And that all people who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord's house may feel thy power, and feel constrained to acknowledge that..it is thy house, a place of thy holiness.”

Feelings of holiness in our homes can prepare our children for feelings of holiness in that temple. We have been told that we should go to the temple, among other reasons, to safeguard our personal holiness and that of our families.

President Monson, This last conference: “If you have been to the temple for yourselves and if you live within relatively close proximity to a temple, your sacrifice could be setting aside the time in your busy lives to visit the temple regularly. There is much to be done in our temples in behalf of those who wait beyond the veil. As we do the work for them we will know that we have accomplished what they cannot do for themselves.”

President Monson shared his feelings of the ground breaking for the temple in Rome. “The day was overcast but warm, and although rain threatened, not more that a drop or two fell. As the magnificent choir sang in Italian the beautiful strains of “The Spirit of God”, one felt as though heaven and earth were joined in a glorious hum of praise and gratitude to Almighty God. Tears could not be restrained.” We bought a DVD of that groundbreaking and as we sat in our basement theater room, the basement became a holy place.

As President Brigham Young taught, “Every moment of (our lives) must be holiness to the Lord,...which is the only course by which (we) can preserve the Spirit of the Almighty to (ourselves),” May the Lord bless each and all of us in our special responsibility to find holiness to the Lord by standing in holy places. That is where we will find the spiritual protection we need for ourselves and our families. That is the source of help to carry forth the word of the Lord in our time. Standing in holy places will help us rise above the veil influences of our time and draw us closer to our Savior. I testify that if we do this, the Lord will bless us forever and we will be made might “in faith and in works.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Next week's lesson is #32: Tithes and Offerings. It's also Mother's Day.

April 24, 2011

“I loved what Kathy said about how we're doing more than we think. I have found that the best missionary tool I've used lately is to just let my non-member friends see and experience how we live. My simple blog has worked great for that. I can weave simple principles of the gospel into it. When my friends come out to visit from Oklahoma we always take them to Temple Square. I've given Mormon Tabernacle CD's to them as well as shared some wonderful Mormon Messages that the Church emails out about families. My friends will never question that we have a testimony of Christ. I don't think we have to push our religion but rather just be obvious with how we live our religion.

Happy Easter Sisters; a beautiful day to remember the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. What a wonderful messages Jim and Marlene Lindsay shared with us along with their strong testimonies, of the Savior.

THOUGHT: “The Holy Ghost operates in our lives precisely as the Liahona did for Lehi and his family, according to our faith and diligence and heed” Elder David A Bednar

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.      Tuesday, April 26^th 7 pm, “Geneology Circle” at the Heiner's home.

2.      Thursday, May 5^th “Temple Group” 8 pm session.

3.      Our blog is up and running. It is fabulous. If you have any questions about it, contact Sarah Heiner.

4.      BYU Woman's Conference on Thursday and Friday, April 28^th and 29^th.

5.      Thursday, May 12^th, 10:00 am – 11:00 am. SUN OVEN Cooking Essentials Seminar at te home of Earlene McDonald, 9187 Canyon Heights Dr., Cedar Hills. RSVP so Earlelne can plan for food and space. Earlene.mcdonald@zero.biz or 801-796-0887

6.      Single Adult (31+) Family Home Evening “Living Heart Healthy”, Monday May 9^th at 7 pm, Stake Center presented by Eric Carter, M.D., Cardiologist and dynamic speaker. He addresses the need on how best to take care of ourselves.

BIRTHDAYS: Happy Birthday to Petra Chou and Lisa Sandor, April 25^th.

A big thanks to all who participated in our Humanitarian Night. All of you did a wonderful job and we accomplished so much. Pat yourselves on the back.

Our lesson today was given by Darla Cox “Two Lines of Communication” by Dallin Oaks.

I've had lots of thoughts and my heart has been filled, but I was not prepared for the Lindsay's farewell and their beautiful comments about the Savior. It was just what I needed. Their love for the Savior and their messages were inspiring. I love them dearly. They are going to the Philippines. Very few people are willing to go to the Philippines as it is a third world country, but couple missionaries are needed there very much. The people of the Philippines will be getting the very best.

Easter makes me think of when I was young and living in Mesa, around the Temple grounds. In fact, I used to roller skate around the grounds and sit under the Grapefruit trees and eat grapefruit from the trees. We used to get up early on Easter Sunday and attend the Sunrise Pageant every years and see the life of the Savior. My mother would make Easter dresses for all of us as symbolic of the newness of the Resurrection. After Sacrament Meeting we would walk around the Temple.

Elder Oaks' address brought back memories of when Matt was sewing in Brazil and Elder Oaks went there and had a visit with him. A couple of weeks later, I was singing at Temple Square and had the opportunity to see Elder Oaks and I thank him for taking time to visit with my son.

“We must use both the personal line and the priesthood line in proper balance to achieve the growth that is the purpose of mortal life.”

PERSONAL AND PRIESTHOOD COMMUNICATION

The Personal Line

“In the personal line we pray directly to our Heavenly Father, and He answers us by the channels He has established, without any mortal intermediary. We pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, and He answers us through His Holy Spirit and in other ways.”

“The personal line is of paramount importance in personal decisions and in the governance of the family. Unfortunately, some members of our church underestimate the need for this direct, personal line. Responding to the undoubted importance of prophetic leadership—the priesthood line, which operates principally to govern heavenly communications on Church matters—some seek to have their priesthood leaders make personal decisions for them, decisions they should make for themselves by inspiration through their personal line. Personal decisions and family governance are principally a matter for the personal line.”

You know Elder Holland spoke to us at April Conference about how none of the speakers are assigned topics. Yet they have to make it clear that people will understand what they are saying and make sure they do not misunderstand. They are speaking to both members and non-member throughout the world. They are to inspire and direct the people.

We need to ask ourselves why was the topic chosen? At the last leadership meeting the Bishops were told to defer some of their responsibilities to lighten their loads. If we are not using our personal lines, but are dependent on the priesthood line, then we are like Moses' days. His father-in-law counsel him to delegate responsibilities. We are responsible for our own answers. There is balance in the church. Sometimes we need to be reminded that we are not using our personal lines.

Amy Waldron: This is a beautiful talk and speaks to new converts in places where there may be many Christians but not LDS. The world is divided in this issue. The Catholics rely heavy on their priesthood line of authority. They seek forgiveness from the Priest. The church is intermediary. On the other hand, the Protestants feel, (Martin Luther) they can have personal relationship with the Lord and don't need intermediary. That the priesthood line is more less important issues. Many Protestants hear us say what they consider Catholic doctrine and we're not saying that.

He talks about similarities. “On this personal line of communication with the Lord, our belief and practice is similar to that of those Christians who insist that human mediators between God and man are unnecessary because all have direct access to God under the principle Martin Luther espoused that is now known as “the priesthood of all believers.”

Lynette Valencia: People want to make personal decisions. Information leads to inspirations. I knew this woman who went to the Bishop but didn't give enough information and he told her to go home and follow the counsel of the brethren. What he didn't know was that her husband who was a returned missionary kept her chained to the bed during the day and would beat her because she would run. She finally went to a man who was a Social worker. He took pictures of her injuries, and got her some help. The Bishop just didn't have enough information he needed to know in order to help her. She didn't want to go against counsel and didn't follow the personal line of communication.

Elder Oaks gives us two cautions we should remember in connection with this precious direct, personal line of communication with our Heavenly Father.

“First, in its fulness the personal line does not function independent of the priesthood line. The gift of the Holy Ghost—the means of communication from God to man—is conferred by priesthood authority as authorized by those holding priesthood keys. It does not come merely by desire or belief. And the right to the continuous companionship of this Spirit needs to be affirmed each Sabbath as we worthily partake of the sacrament and renew our baptismal convenants of obedience and service.”

“Similarly, we cannot communicate reliably through the direct, personal line if we are disobedient to or out of harmony with the priesthood line.

The Priesthood line

“The priesthood line of communication has the additional and necessary intermediaries of our Savior, Jesus Christ; His Church; and His appointed leaders.”

“Some members or former members of our church fail to recognize the importance of the priesthood line. They underestimate the importance of the Church and its leaders and its programs. Relying entirely on the personal line, they go their own way, purporting to define doctrine and to direct competing organizations contrary to the teachings of prophet-leaders.”

Two cautions we should remember in connection with reliance on the vital priesthood line.

“First, the priesthood line does not supersede the need for the personal line. We all need a personal testimony of truth. As our faith develops, we necessarily rely on the words and faith of others, like our parents, teachers, or priesthood leaders....When it comes to a mature knowledge or testimony of the truth, we should not be dependent on a mortal mediator between us and our Heavenly Father.”

“Second, like the personal line, the priesthood line cannot function fully and properly in our behalf unless we are worthy and obedient.”

“The Lord has declared that “the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness”. Unfortunately, it is common for persons who are violating God's commandments or disobedient to the counsel of their priesthood leaders to declare that God has revealed to them that they are excused from obeying some commandment or from following some counsel. Such persons may be receiving revelation or inspiration, but it is not from the source they suppose. The devil is the father of lies, and he is ever anxious to frustrate the work of God by his clever imitations.”

“The priesthood line is the channel by which God has spoken to His children through the scriptures in times past. And it is this line through which He currently speaks through the teachings and counsel of living prophets and apostles and other inspired leaders.....His Church is the way and His priesthood is the power through which we are privileged to participate in those co-operative activities that are essential to accomplishing the Lord's work. These include preaching the gospel, building temples and chapels, and helping the poor.”

Elder Oaks tells us how important it is for the Lord's servants to be in tune with the Spirit. David Whitmer recalled: “One morning when he was getting ready to continue the translation, something went wrong about the house, and he was put out about it. Something that Emma, his wife, had done. Oliver and I went up stairs, and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation, but he could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable. He went down stairs, out into the orchard and made supplication to the Lord; was gone about an hour—came back to the house, asked Emma's forgiveness and then came up stairs where we were and the translation went on all right. He could do nothing save he was humble and faithful.”

The Need for Both Lines

“Both lines are essential to His purpose to bring about the immortality and eternal life of His children....We often note how Jethro counseled Moses to delegate by appointing judges to handle the personal conflicts. But Jethro also gave Moses counsel that illustrates the importance of the personal line: “Thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.”

Pat Heaton: She remembers a talk by Elder Maxwell in Conference when he said that General Authorities are very busy and when people flock around them, they need some space. He pled for space because they need space once in a while. One day, she was about five feet away from him and so wanted to visit with him, but remembered his talk and although there were people around him she had to hold herself and respect his space.

I'm so grateful for the brothers and sisters that serve the Lord in the capacities of these callings which they do with the help of the Lord. We need to follow our leaders and be obedient. I am grateful that they accept these huge callings, and recognize that they need some time off.

Billie Wilson: When we were in Fiji, Elder Nelson came to visit. He said that no amount of money in the world would cause him to do what he did. He had to spend hours away from his family. The only person he would do this for was the Lord. They are so busy.

The Bishop's testimony was very touching. And when he said, “I'm not saying for you not to come see me”, but he is a very busy man with young children, a young family and a wife who needs him. It was good for him to be so opened and honest, because it showed us that he is doing it for the love of the Lord and us.

Amy Smart: I'm thankful for the inspiration given to people, Home Teachers, and Visiting teachers because I know I know I can depend on their help and assistance from these wonderful resources.

Yes, I too can call on my Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers any time of the day or night because I know they love me.

An example of using both lines of communication, is the Chile earthquake. Many lost confidence. Quickly—because our church is prepared to respond to such disasters—food, shelter, and other material aid was provided. The Saints of Chile heard the voice of the Lord through His Church and it leaders responding to their material needs. But however sufficient the priesthood line, it was not enough. Each member needed to seek the Lord in prayer and receive the direct message of comfort and guidance that comes through the Holy Spirit to those who seek and listen.”

“A final example applies these principles to the subject of priesthood authority in the family and the Church. All priesthood authority I the Church functions under the direction of one who hold the appropriate priesthood keys. This is the priesthood line. But the authority that presides in the family—whether father or single-parent mother-functions in family matters without eh need to get authorization from anyone holding priesthood keys. That is like the personal line. Both lines must be functioning in our family life and in our personal lives if we are to have the grouwth and achieve the destiny identified in our Heavenly Father's plan for His children.”

Young Sister Ingram: The family is like a Bishopric. The bishop has his two counselors, well Christ is the Bishop and the father and mother are the counselors.

Karen Moon: Milt and I went to the temple to do sealings and while there the sealer asked us if we knew the difference between the Melchizedek and patriarchal priesthood. He said that under the patriarchal priesthood the husband and wife operate together.

Relative of Marlene Lindsay: There are two lines of communication. I experienced the personal revelation for my family. I had 8 children and was offered a job. I knew that the Lord counseled women to stay in the home. I prayed and was told by the voice of the Lord that I needed to get a blessing from my Stake President. In the blessing the Lord told me to take the job. Later, my husband lost his job and I ended up being the only source of income.

“We must use both the personal line and the priesthood line in proper balance to achieve the growth that is the purpose of mortal life.” The Lord knows us as individuals. Let's strive to have that balance.

Have a great week.

April 17, 2011

Good evening sisters! What a wonderful Sabbath it was.

THOUGHT: “This is a noisy and busy world that we live in. Remember that being busy is not necessarily being spiritual. If we are not careful, the things of this world can crowd out the things of the Spirit.” Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.      Wednesday, April 20^th 7 pm Cultural Hall - “CIRCLED IN SERVICE” - Combined Relief Society, Young Women & Activity Day Girls! This activity is for all girls from 8-98. We will be making hooded towels, receiving blankets, book bags, fleece blankets, and tying a quilt. All items will be donated to the new Provo Homeless shelter.

2.      Items needed (can be brought the night of): sewing machines, fabric scissors (name on them), 1 bath towel, ½ hand towel (if you bring 2 bath towels and I hand towel you can make two hooded towels), 2 yards of fabric to make receiving blankets (1 yard for each side, one side needs to be flannel) and 1.5 yards of fleece. Bring some, bring none...but just come!

3.      BYU Woman's Conference April 28^th and 29^th.

4.      The Relief Society Blog is coming soon. You will get more information very soon.

5.      We're sorry to announce that the Moss family will be moving to the Washington, D C area. Brother Moss has obtained employment so we will be losing them. We are grateful to have shared a chapter of our lives together.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Lupe Lee, April 18^th; Jennifer Neyra April 23^rd.

Our lesson today was taught by Amy Waldron on 'HONESTY'

She mentioned that Paul now also teaches the 3^rd Sunday lesson in High Priest and so they sort of prepared together, or at least discussed the lesson. When she and Paul had been married three months, they were in Law School together and had a class. Paul thinks well on his feet and therefore he really didn't need to study like she did. However, that didn't keep him from raising his hand in class and giving answers that they had not read. After all these years of marriage, they haven't learn to work together any better. She does her thing, worrying, preparing, praying. Things work out for him though. She could have studied and prepared together and then done her own thing, but she feels that would have been dishonest and of course the lesson is on 'honesty'.

When they were in Law School, they had firesides for law students only. The brethren that had been lawyers were the ones who would come and speak to them. She remembers Elder Oaks coming to one of those firesides to speak to them on 'honesty'. She makes reference to that talk ever since. She looked at the Contents of the manual Gospel Principles read the lesson topics. It is one of the shortest lessons in the manual. She looked in the Peach My Gospel book and there isn't a lesson on honesty. She noticed that the lesson on 'honesty' comes after the lesson on 'Charity'. Is there a reason for that?

There are people who claim to be honest and yet say things that are rude and brutal under the guise of being honest. We are told to be honest but there is even a greater commandment which the Lord has given us and that is to have love and charity. In our need to be honest we are also to be charitable. That is the rule that she uses hwhen she interacts under honesty since that talk by Elder Oaks.

When she first read the lesson, she felt over all that she is an honest person, that it was an easy lesson, but felt from the spirit that she needed to feel greater responsibility and accountability to be honest.

How can we overcome this temptation?

To become completely honest, we must look carefully at our lives. If there are ways in which we are being even the least bit dishonest, we should repent of them immediately.

I look at you and see mostly honest people. Yes?

Charity and honesty. So close on this one.

Pat Heaton: When the Lord told Abraham to tell the people that Sarah, his wife was his sister, He was using charity to protect Abraham. He knew that if the people knew that Sarah was his wife, they would have killed him. There was some half truth there because Sarah and Abraham were related, but she wasn't his sister. Yet the Lord commanded him to say that. It was a higher commandment.

Yes, and Joseph Smith was commanded not to share more of the 116 pages of translation until the Book of Mormon was finished. The Lord does use a higher command.

Most of the time, I can't think of a way or say something without being brutally honest together with being charitable. Often I can tell something honest along with being charitable. Usually the honest in heart is not easily offended. The Savior said honest things by being charitable. If we don't have a lot of imagination, sometimes it's better not to say anything at all. My mother would say that to me.

Is it possible to have the whole truth without the spirit of the Lord? All truth is encompassed by the spirit of the Lord. If we are in anger, we need to be careful. Complete truth is who we are, can become and what we have been.

Lynette Valencia: I have a grandson who had a problem with lying. The thing was that he believed it himself. I looked for scriptures that had to do with lies and was amazed that the Lord puts liars along side of murderers and adulterers. Especially the D&C section 76.

Yes, we need to be more imaginative. D&C section 76 in talking about the telestial kingdom says: verse 103 “These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.”

Marlene Lindsay: Truth is the we way we see it. We often don't see people's hearts, wounds, motivation. Maybe we need to say, this is how I see it, here is some counsel.

President Eyering in General Conference that he interacts with people assuming certain things about them. We can assume that there is something that we can't see.

Marlene: We need to be ready to hear what we ask of others. We need to be open to their opinions. Maybe ask ourselves 'do I need this information now, maybe I want to wait until I am ready to accept it.

Karen Glenn: We need to know that our life experiences and their experiences differ.

There are some things we believe to be true with a capital T where as Satan and the world embrace a different standard. We need to be careful of that whisper or shout that there is no right or wrong. That there is no God.

Pat Heaton: I usually throw away handouts, but won't throw away this one. Love should be our measure of honesty. The biggest challenge for me is when I go for my temple recommend interview. I hate that question about honesty. There is the 'kind' lie. It's hard to be honest especially when someone says to you give me your 'honest opinion'.

When I was discussing this lesson with Paul, I said to him that I could tell how each of our children can be dishonest with themselves. Each one of my children fit in one of those five definitions under How are we tempted to be dishonest.

Rationalization. I did something wrong and I'm embarrassed about it, so I will parse and justify until my new “truth” is softer and easier to face. I convince myself of this new truth to the point that I truly believe it. One of my children is so cheerful, guileless, but is a believing soul. He/she convinces him/herself and then is offended that I don't believe him/her. Are you saying that I am lying? Kind of a Bill Clinton person. The only way that I can help this child is to invite the spirit in some way, express my love, use soft words and then point out the objective truth.

Lynette: There is a book Magnificent Mind at Any Age. Not until we are 25 years of age do we really develop our reasoning.

Spencer Condie tells how he was walking through temple square and people kept saying to him 'good morning President. So he would say I am not the president. It got to the point that the last person who said that to him, he just smile. He felt so guilty that he went to President Hinckley's office and confess that he hadn't acknowledge that he wasn't the president. President Hickley just smile and said, as long as you behave yourself, Spencer.

Something that I decided was worth working for it too difficult, so I tell myself it wasn't worth having.

One of my children had the opportunity to go to Greece with the school class, but had to fulfill certain things, which that child didn't. When we told that child, the trip was off, this child said, we would be looking at old stuff anyway.

The “Kind” Lie. I know what is true, but am afraid it is hurtful. So I will say something else because it seems kinder to me (though untrue). This particular child will say something in order to protect someone else. One of the children had done something and this time I didn't have a clue as to who was not telling the truth, so I left the room and let them decide how they were going to handle it. My one child came and said 'I did it'. Of course I knew she hadn't so I had to figure out a different solution.

I am the exception to the rule. The rules are good. I agree that that is a wise rule and that is true for everyone. Except me. That's my little five year old, the one who visits your houses. She can look you in the eyes and say, oh yes. If you ask her if her mom knows where she is, she'll say 'yes'. She is very confident and therefore doesn't see that it's not O.K. for her to be wherever. So if you see her wandering around, it means I don't know where she is.

Self-Flagellation. Being brutal with yourself without mitigating the negative with the positive. Brutally Honest – If it doesn't hurt, it's not honest. That's mine. I'm always mean when I'm being honest with myself.

Look at how you are dishonest and then find one small way to be honest. Find joy in your challenge.

Next weeks lesson: Dallin H. Oaks 'Two Lines of Communication' November Ensign.